could not be induced to Print it But he writes Religious books doth as one said Retia salutis expandere spread the nets of Salvation to catch souls in and the good works of Rev. 14. 13. such will last as long as their Books live and follow them also after death I cannot Momo satisfacere as the Proverb is satisfie one who will do nothing himself but carp and cavil at every thing another doth whether deservedly or undeservedly Neither care I much for a detracting Zoilus whom I answer with the Poet Pexatus pulchrè rides mea Zoile trita Sunt haec trita quidem Zoile sed mea sunt Leaving these following Exercitations and Meditations to your most serious Meditation and your Meditations to Gods especial blessing and setting it home upon your hearts by His Holy Spirit that God in all things may be glorified and the salvation of Souls furthered against that great and notable day of the Lord Jesus to whom I commend you and remain Your Friend and Servant Sam. Thomsonn Esse tibi tantâ cautus brevitate videris Hei mihi quà m multis sic quoque longus eris Martial ad librum THE CONTENTS Exercitation I. OF the Covenant and our Covenant interest in God upon these words Ezek. 16. 8 I entered into a Covenant with thee saith the Lord God and thou becamest Mine Where is discussed 1. What a Covenant is The difference between a Law Covenant and Testament The Covenant of God with man twofold 1. Of Works 2. Of Grace What the Covenant of Works was it was confirmed by a double Sacrament proving that God dealt with man in a Covenant way How God can be said to Covenant with man Why God deals with man in a Covenant way rather than in a meer supream absolute way Gods great mercy therein Of the Covenant of Grace Four Reasons why all depends upon faith The sum of the Covenant of Grace The Covenant of grace divided into the old and new first and second The Covenant of grace is one in substance proved by two arguments Three things wherein the old and new Covenant agree Fight things wherein they differ Inferences thereupon The happiness of all those that are in Covenant with God and the miseries of those who are not Exhortations comforts and admonitions to those that are in Covenant with God God hath confirmed his Covenant four ways to us How to know if we are in Covenant with God The blessings ensuing thereon A farther description of Gods Covenanting with us A short Paraphrase on Jehovah God in the Old Testament revealed himself by ten names The Conclusion Exercitation II. 1. Of Sacraments in general There first what a Sacrament is How many Sacraments there are Of the word Sacrament whence borrowed and how used A Sacrament is a mysterie and why so Of the outward signs The external and internal form The Sacraments are signs in a fourfold respect Three thrings required in a Sacrament The ends of Sacraments are three Our want and need of Sacraments c. 2. Of the Sacrament of Baptism in particular Of the word Baptism Word Baptism used six ways A fourfold Baptism Baptism represents unto us two things The right use of baptism What baptism is How baptism came in place of circumcision Four ways To be baptized in the Name of the Father of the Son and of the S. S. implies three things Two parts of baptism The action of the Minister is twofold the inward baptism is done 1. By the Blood 2. by the Holy Spirit of Christ The ends of baptism are four In baptism Original sin is taken away c. Why was Christ baptized answered in four things How baptism belongs to Infants Infant-baptism asserted by nine Arguments Answer to an Oâ—jection That we have no rule or example for â—aptizing of Infants What warraâ—â— we have for sprinkling answered in â—our things How circumcision and baptism do agree answered in three things Wherein they differ answered in six things Four Aphorisms about baptism Exercitation III. Of the Lords Supper the second Sacrament of the New Testament It hath six appellations What the Lords Supper is A short Paraphrase upon the definition of the Lords Supper The signs and the things signified The analogy and proportion between them How the cup of the Lord is the new Covenant in two respects What are the ends of the Lords Supper answered at large in five respects and more especially in three respects How and wherein bread and wine represent Christs body and blood By this Sacrament our Communion with Christ is sealed and confirmed Two abuses of the Papists 1. Offering up Christs body c. 2. Denying the Cup to the Laity What it is to eat the body and drink the blood of Christ This signifies four things This our eating c. is our Communion with Christ That place 1 Cor. 10. 16 17 explained The Bread and Wine are the sign and testimony of our Communion with Christ About Transubstantiation Seven Arguments against it and four Reasonâ— against it What Consubstantiation is Five Reasons against it This is a Sacrament not of Christs living or glorified body but his crucified body and that two ways The outward actions of the Minister are four What each signifie The outward actions of the receiver are two what they signifie Q. Who are to be admitted to be partakers of this Sacrament Answered in three particulars Three things to be performed of every worthy communicant 1. Preparation before the right manner of it and several things wherein it consists 2. Heedfulness in the duty of receiving consists in four things 3. A thankful close consisting in two things What it is to do this in remembrance of Christ in three things The allegory between Christ and the Paschal Lamb explained in thirteen particulars Some sentences about the Supper Exercitation IV. Fear God Eccles 12. 13 The whole verse is thus Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter Fear God and keep His Commandments for this is the whole duty of man The fear of God is commanded in the first Commandment The scope and meaning of the first Commandment Seven virtues or parts of obedience due to the first Commandment Descriptions of the fear of God Fear due to God Twofold fear of God as 1. Servile 2. Filial both described Three things wherein servile and filial fear differ Some things oppose the fear of God in excess and some in defect Nine acceptations or significations of fear in Scripture What the fear of God is which is here required Many Encouragements out of Scripture to fear God Several Encomiums or Praises of the fear of God all wholly also out of the Scripture Exhortation to the fear of God Q. What fear Saints may have in the service of God answered in two things Differences between the fear of the Godly and the fear of the wicked God requires the reverence both of a Father and also of a Master An answer to that place in 1 Joh. 4.
must with delight apply Christ and His merits to all the necessities of our Souls spiritually feeding upon Him and growing by Him For the eating of the Bread to strengthen our nature betokeneth the inward strengthning of our souls by Grace through the merit of breaking Christ's body for us And the drinking of the Wine to cherish our bodies betokens that the blood of Christ shed on the Cross and as it were drunk by faith doth cherish our souls And as God doth bless these outward elements to preserve and strengthen the body of the receiver so Christ apprehended and received by faith doth nourish him and preserve him both body Joh. 6. 50 51. and soul unto eternal life 1 Cor. 10. 3. 11. 17 19. Q. Who are to be admitted to be partakers of this Sacrament A. 1. They who are of years of discretion and sound judgment able to discern the Lord's body ought to repair to it If they are able to prove and examine themselves and rightly to remember the Lord's death For so is the Commandment This do in remembrance of me And let a man examine himself and so let him eat of this bread and drink of this cup for so ye shew the Lords death till He come 1 Cor. 11. 27 28. 2. They who are baptized and by Baptism made members of the Church For our Covenant with God made in Baptism is renewed in the Lord's Supper As formerly none might eat of the Passeover unless he were circumcised so none may partake at the Lord's table unless baptized 3. Who in word and deed profess their faith and repentance or who express the profession of their faith and repentance by the actions of their life For of occult and hidden things the Church judgeth not but she admitteth all those whom she can judge to be members of Christ that is those whom she hears and sees by their confession and by their outward deeds to profess their faith and repentance whether they be Godly or whether they be Hypocrites not yet made manifest Q. What is to be performed of every Christian that he may partake worthily of the Lords Supper A. Three things 1. A due preparation before receiving 2. Great heed in the whole duty of receiving 3. A thankful close and shutting up of it Of all these in order Q. What is the preparation requisite to this holy Sacrament A. Duly to search and examine their own souls if they can find in themselves those things which God requires in worthy Communicants This preparation is twofold 1. Inward 2. Outward 1. Inward which is spiritual and that consists in a man's examining of himself and so to try his own worthiness There is a double worthiness 1. A Worthiness of the person if thou hast faith and the righteousness of Christ imputed by faith to thee 2. A worthiness of the using which is true reverence inward and outward forgiveness love a serious bewailing of sins and repentance the meditation of the benefits of Christ the discerning the body of the Lord thanksgiving and the avoiding of all offences All these things be particularly discussed by many worthy writers and therefore I here wave them Briefly thus Such as will in a holy sort prepare themselves to celebrate the Lord's Supper must have 1. A knowledg of God of Man's fall and of the promised restauration into the Covenant by Christ 2. True faith in Christ for every man receiveth so much as he believeth Heb. 4. 2. 3. True repentance of all their sins past Isai 66. 3. Psal 26. 6. 4. Perfect love and charity forgiving as we would be forgiven true repentance purgeth out malice among all other sins and a sound faith worketh by love towards God and towards our brethren also Mat. 5. 22. Jam. 1. 19. 20. Gal. 5. 6. The holy Apostle Paul in 1 Cor. 11. 27 28 29. placeth preparation in these three acts 1. Discerning the Lord's body 2. Examining of our selves 3. A worthy disposition To speak a little of all these distinctly 1. Discerning the Lord's body which consists in a good understanding and judgment of the nature use and necessity of the Sacrament Now because these things cannot be understood but out of the fundamentals of Christian Religion about sin and misery following thence the Grace of Christ and the blessings therehence slowing of our duty in thankfulness and obedience to God therefore the knowledg of the principal points of Christian Religion which are necessary to Salvation are needfully required to this discerning here spoken of 2. Examining our selves which consists in a serious trial if we are so disposed that we may use this Sacrament with profit The rule of this examination is the Word of God especially as it concerns the institution of this Sacrament Our dispositions to be looked into in this trial of our selves are our faith repentance charity a desire of new obedience 3. A worthy disposition which consists in an agreeableness of our affections with this sacred business And here is required 1. That we renew our repentance as for all our former sins so especially our late failings and for those sins we are most inclined unto and those committed since our last receiving 2. To stir up in our selves a hungring and thirsting after Christ and His Grace as for pardoning and mortifying our sins so to be enabled for better obedience and newness of life 3. To stir up our faith to lay hold on the promises of the Gospel 4. That with all humility reverence and devotion we receive this Sacrament as the Seal of the Covenant of Grace and of the promises of God Thus far of the first part to be performed by every Christian worthily to partake of the Lord's Supper which is Preparation Now for the second Heedfulness in the duty of receiving And that consists in these four things 1. Reverendly to attend the better to apply the whole action joyning with the Minister in his Prayers making use of all the Sacramental actions both in the Minister and also in the receivers whereof we spake at large before and so thankfully commemorating the Lord's death for the comfort and refreshing of our souls 2. According as it is commanded all must take the Bread and Wine into their hands 3. According to Christ's command to eat that Bread and drink that Wine 4. They must use thanksgiving offering up themselves both souls and bodies is a Sacrifice of thanksgiving In which Rom. 12. 1 respect this Sacrament is properly called the Eucharist As oft as we eat this bread and drink this cup we shew the Lords death c. The Ordinance it self is full of death what other language doth bread broken and the blood severed from the body speak but a dying Christ As the Ordinance so the Communicant doth by eating and drinking in fact declare his profession of adherence to Christ and embracing of the death of Christ for remission of Sins and reconciliation of his person unto God Which although at all times
Therefore Christ said Mat. 9. 12. the whole have no need of a Physitian c. As long as men think themselves well they will not seek out to a Physitian though then they may have need enough but when they are stricken with sickness The poor sin-sick Soul grieved and weary with the burden of sin comes to Christ the great Physitian Fear God are the words first read Q. But we read that the fearful c. Rev. 21. 8. Shall be cast into the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death A. That is spoken of those that faint in their spiritual combates who through carnal fear shall not dare to make profession of the truth or shall deny it Q. What is that fear of God which is here commanded A. 1. To reverence the Majesty and Power of God so as the chief reason of our fear is not any evil that may come to us but the excellent perfection of God 2. When we do most especially fear the offending of God and displeasing Him 3. When we are affected with fear and trembling by beholding the tokens of God's displeasure So Moses said Psal 90. 11. who knoweth the power of Thy wrath according to Thy fear so is Thy wrath Q. What are the special and principal marks of the true fear of God A. 1. Seriously to flee from all those things which are evil in the eyes of God A wise man feareth and departeth from Prov. 14 16. 14. 6. evil By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil 2. If out of Conscience towards God we abstain from those sins which are hidden from the eyes of men and safe enough in regard of man Thou shalt not curse the deaf nor put a stumbling-block Levit. 19. 14. before the blind but shalt fear thy God I am the Lord Now the deaf cannot hear and the blind cannot see any injury when it is done unto them but the fear of God should deter from it So Joseph though he had the importunities Gen. 39. 9. of his Mistress and the opportunity of secrecy yet the fear of God kept him from committing Adultery 3. If we do not only abstain from sins but also hate them and that because God hates them The fear of the Lord Prov. 8. 13. is to hate evil 4. If we are very careful about this thing that we depart not away from Psal 18. 21. God As David said I have kept the laws of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my God 5. If we strive not only to abstain from evil but also to do good Eschew 1 Pet. 3. 11. evil and do good seek peace and ensue it Hold fast that which is good abstain 1 Thess 5. 21 22. from all appearance of evil 6. If we fear not men or any other creature so as to deter us from doing our duty Job when he would make a protestation of his uprightness said Did I fear a great multitude or did the Job 31. 34. contempt of families terrifie me that I kept silence c But and if ye suffer for righteousness sake happy are ye and 1 Pet. 3. 14 15. be not afraid of their terrour neither be ye troubled but sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts c. 7. If we use the Name of God and all His holy attributes not lightly but with great reverence These things shew that we truly fear God Thou shalt always fear this glorious and fearful Deut. 28. 58. name The Lord thy God Q. What are the arguments to induce us to the fear of God A. 1. His Almightiness Fear ye not Jer. 5. 22. Me saith the Lord will ye not tremble at My presence which have placed the sand for the bound of thi sea c. Touching Job 37. 23 24. the Almighty we cannot find Him out He is excellent in power and in judgment and in plenty of justice c. Men do therefore fear Him c. 2. Because of His Kingdom The Lord reigneth let the earth tremble Who Psal 99. 1. Jer. 10. 7. would not fear Thee O King of Nations for to Thee only doth it appertain c. I make a decree that men tremble and fear before God for he is the living God and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed and his dominion is to the ends Dan. 6. 26. of the earth 3. Because of his powerful governing of all things Isai 25. 1. to 6. 4. Because of His particular and severe judgments against sins My flesh trembleth Psal 119. 120. for fear of thee and I am afraid at Thy judgments The just Lord is in the Habb 3. 1â— middest thereof every morning doth he Zeph. 3. 5. bring his judgments to light he faileth not c. When I heard my belly trembled c. 5. Because of the great and general judgment at the last day If ye call on Eccles 12. 13 14. the Father who without respect of persons judgeth according to every mans work pass the time of your sojourning here 1 Pet. 1. 7. in fear 6. Because of His threatnings and the punishments attending thereupon So God said to good King Josiah because thy heart was tender and thou hast humbled thy self before the Lord when 2 Chron. 34. 27. thou heardest what I spake against this place and against the Inhabitants thereof c. and hast rent thy clothes and wept before Me I have heard thee saith the Lord. So the repentant thief on the Cross said to the other thief Doest not thou Luk. 23. 40. fear God seeing thou art in the same condemnation 7. Because of the benefits and mercies of God there is mercy with thee that Psal 130. 4. 72. 5. thou mayest be feared They shall fear thee as long as the Sun and Moon endure Wicked men say not in their heart Let us now fear the Lord our God that giveth Jer. 5. 24. rain in his season he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest 8. We should fear the Lord because 2 Pet. 1. 3. of all those great and precious promises He hath made to all those that fear Him But of those we have given plentiful instances before Some Sentences more about the fear of God 1. When a good thing is done out of the fear of punishment and not out of the true fear of God it is not well done 2. Why do we fear man when we are placed in the heart and bosom of God and are sure we can never fall away there-hence 3. The fear of God is an especial antidote and preservative against the fear of man 4. Our present fear of God now will bring us everlasting peace rest and security 5. To fear God truly is to omit or neglect nothing willingly which He commandeth 6. In the wayes of the Lord begin with fear and then we shall come to confidence strength and courage 7. He is a
it or as in the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quid deprecabor why shall I pray against it any longer Remember the case of Israel when they were even at their Journeys end near upon the borders of the promised land because of their murmuring and impatiency hear their terrible doom from the Lord As truly as I live saith the Lord as ye have spoken in mine ears Numb 14. 28 to 36. so will I do to you your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness and all that were numbered of you from twenty years old and upward which have murmured against me doubtless ye shall not come into the land concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein save Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshuah the son of Nun. But your little ones which ye said should be a prey them will I bring but as for you your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness and your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years and bear your whoredomes until your carcasses be wasted in the wilderness After the number of the days in which ye searched the land even forty days each day for a year shall ye bear your iniquities even forty years and ye shall know my breach of promise I the Lord have spoken it I will surely do it c. in this wilderness they shall be consumed and there they shall dye Take heed of fretting against the Lord and of impatiency of spirit lest the same or the like judgment befall thee But say with David as here My soul wait thou only upon God for my expectation is from Him EXERCITATION THE SIXTH Mark 1. 15. Repent ye and believe the Gospel HEre our Saviour sets down the way that lost man must take to come to God whom doth our blessed Lord invite to come unto Him those that labour and are heavy-laden Repentance Mat. 11. 28. and Faith are the way whereby we come unto God Christ is primarily the way for no man cometh to the Father but by Joh. 14. 6. Him He is the immediate way but these are the ways in and through Him which He hath prescribed 1. To speak of Repentance We must know our sins feel the weight of them be truly sensible of them and that we are no way able to help our selves else we will never come to Christ and never seek out for a Saviour for the whole have no need of a Mat. 9. 11. Physician but they that be sick while we think our selves whole and healthy we are well enough but it is the sin-sick Soul that sees his want and need of this great Physician the Lord Jesus So Desinition then Repentance is a hearty grief for my sins even because thereby I have broken God's holy Laws and offended such a gracious Father which works in me a hatred and loathing of sin and of my self for sin with a resolution to lead a new life Now there is a legal Division repentance which is a grief of mind through the sence of God's wrath threatned against sin without any true hatred of sin There is also secondly an Evangelical repentance which is a through change of a sinner in mind will and actions from evil to good The former of these was in Ahab who put on sack-cloth and went softly c. 1. Kings 21. 26. when he heard the evil threatned against him and his house and this may be in wicked men through fear of punishment and of hell not for their sins against God so upon the next temptation they run into sin again But Evangelical repentance which is because we have broken God's Laws and offended so gracious a Majesty this it makes us more watchful over our ways more desirous and careful to please God more Eph. 5. 15. Gen. 17. 1. Psal 16. 8. 2 Cor. 7. 10 11. fearful to offend Him more circumspect in our walking before Him setting Him before our eyes Godly sorrow worketh repentance unto life not to be repented of whereas legal repentance which is common to wicked men worketh death or is the fore-runner of death whose grief is from an apprehension of their miseries or some wounding of their Consciences for their sins without faith or amendment or conversion unto God whereby all their repentance is in them an entrance or a way to a death But behold the good effects of a serious Evangelical repentance The self-same thing that ye sorrowed after a Godly sort what sorrow it wrought in you yea what clearing of your selves yea what indignation yea what fear yea what vehement desire yea what zeal yea what revenge I know that some do take the former part of this sentence meerly in a literal sence Wordly sorrow causeth death that is sorrow or grief for outward crosses and losses causeth such anguish of mind so affecting the body that brings sicknesses diseases and death at last We see then that true repentance is an inward and hearty sorrow for sin especially that we have offended so gracious a God and so loving a Father together with a setled purpose of heart and a careful endeavour to leave and Psal 119. 112. forsake all our sins and to live a Christian life according to all Gods Commandments So the parts of repentance are 1. A The parts of true repentance are â—our confession of sin 2. a Bewailing what we have confessed 3. Lifting our selves up with confidence in Gods mercies and Christs merits 4. With a firm purpose of abstaining from sin and obeying Gods Commandments Let us a little farther consider these 1. An humble Confession I acknowledged my sins unto thée and mine iniquities Psal 32. 5 have I not hidden I said I will confess mine iniquities unto the Lord. 2. A bewailing Dan. 9. 6. 8. Ezra 9. 6. of what we have confessed We are ashamed and blush to lift up our faâ—es to thee O our God for our iniquities are increased over our heads c. Psal 38. 18. I will be sorry for my sins 3. A lifting up of our selves in confidence of Gods mercies through Christs merits There Psal 130. 3. is mercy with thee that thou mayest be feared In the multitude of thy mercies I come unto thee with the Lord there Psal 5. â— Psal 130. 7. is mercy and with Him there is plenteous redemption And through Christs merits Christ dyed for the ungodly To Rom. 5 6. this end Christ both dyed and rose Rom. 14. 9. and revived that He might be Lord both of dead and living Christ dyed for our 1 Cor. 15. 3. 1 John 2 2. Heb. 7. 25. sins according to the Scriptures He is the Propitiation for our sins And He is able to save to the utmost all that come unto God by Him seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them Fourth part of repentance is a stedfast resolution of forsaking sin and of obeying Gods holy Commandments I hate every false way whoso confesseth Psal 101. 3. Prov.
uprightness Jer. 30. 21. and may engage my heart to approach unto God to walk before Thee to do every thing as in Thy sight and presence Lord help me to keep my heart with all diligence and to wash Prov. 4. 23. my heart from wickedness that I may be clean that although vain and evil Jer. 4. 14 thoughts will pass through me yet I may not give them entertainment or suffer them to lodge within me Take Thou away this stony heart from me and give me a heart of flesh a heart Ezek. 36. 26. pliable and flexible and capable of being governed and guided by thy Spirit Vnite my heart to fear thy name Let Psal 86. 11. 119. 80. my heart be sound in thy statutes That so when my heart is sound Christ may set me as a seal upon his heart and as a seal upon his arm keeping me nearly Cant. 8. 6. and dearly joyned unto Him and refresh me by the comfort of the presence of His Grace setting me as a signet upon his right hand to have me always Jer. 22. 24. in His eye and in His heart to be present with me to guide me in His ways to bless me and to do me good that at last He may present me glorious not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but holy and without blemish For holiness becometh thine house O Lord for ever as here in this life which is glory begun so especially in Heaven where Grace and Glory is consummate and made perfect into which place no unholy thing shall ever enter Holiness is the badge of Christs people Addition Isai 63. 18. they are called the people of his holiness Israel was holiness to the Lord Jer. 2. 3. The Spirit of holiness distinguisheth and setteth a mark upon the sheep of Christ they are sealed with the holy Spirit of promise Eph 1. 13. Holiness setteth us apart for God and Psal 4. 3. Tit. 2. 14. for His Service to do His Will and to serve Him He hath set apart him that is Godly for himself to see and enjoy him for without holiness none shall see Heb. 12. 14. the Lord Our holiness is not the cause of our Salvation but it is the way thereunto Holiness hath none but gracious and honourable effects it filleth the soul with joy comfort and peace with joy unspeakable and full of glory with Rom. 15. 13. 1 Pet. 1. 8. Isai 32. 17. peace and quietness and assurance for ever Everlasting joy shall be upon their heads They shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall Isai 35. 10. flee away God is glorious in holiness and glories most in the Attribute of holiness God stands upon nothing more than to appear to all the world to be a Exod. 15. 11. holy God therefore the Angels when they celebrate the glory of God cry out Holy holy holy is the Lord God of hosts Isai 6. 3. Let those therefore that draw nigh to God and make profession of his name labour to hold forth above all things the glory of his holiness in their lives and conversations EXERCITATION THE EIGHTH Jer. 23. 9. For because of Oaths swearing the Land mourneth IF the holy Prophet in his dayes cryed out as in the former Verse Mine heart within me is broken because of those cursings and oaths which do make the Land to mourn that is which draw down God's judgments upon the Land as it is evident in the following words the pleasant places of the wilderness are dryed up namely God did send drought and scorching heats and withheld the rain in its due season for those crying sins so it cannot be meant Metonymically the Land for the People of the Land but the Land mourned because the people had no hearts to do it Oh what cause have we now to break our hearts with sighting to have rivers Psal 119. 136. of water to run down our eyes because God's Laws are so broken and his name so highly dishonoured by hellish Oaths and Blasphemies by damned damning curses and execrations whose judgment 2 Pet. 3. 2. lingreth not and their damnation slumbereth not These as natural brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed shall Verse 12. utterly perish in their own corruption These are raging waves of the Sea foaming Jude 13. out their own shame to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever We read of a flying rowle which is interpreted a curse that goeth forth over Zech. 5. 2 3 4. the earth for every one that stealeth shall be cut off on that side according to it and every one that sweareth shall be cut as on that side according to it I will bring it forth saith the Lord of hosts and it shall enter into the house of him that sweareth falsly by My name and it shall remain in the midst of his house and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof Oh this dreadful denunciation O that prophane Swearers would consider it and lay it to heart hearing God's dreadful threatnings on themselves both Souls and Bodies and all that they have yea even their houses and habitations where they dwell and that for their sakes How many times doth the Lord God and how frequently forbid this horrid sin of Swearing Ye shall not falsly swear by My name Levit. 19. 12. neither shalt thou prophane the name of the Lord thy God I am the Lord. Where-ever in Scripture this is added I am the Lord it is to shew that God is faithful in revenging the breach of His Commandments and on the contrary that He is faithful in rewarding the observation or keeping His Commandments Our blessed Saviour biddeth us Swear not at all that is in our ordinary discourses but let your communication be Mat. 5. 34. 37. yea yea nay nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil The word in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from that evil one meaning the Devil who is the father of all lyes oaths and blasphemies Joh. 8. 44. So Saint James But above all Jam. 5. 12. things my brethren swear not neither by heaven neither by the earth that is by nothing which is either in heaven or earth neither by any other oath but let your yea be yea and your nay nay lest ye fall into damnation No less punishment than everlasting damnation is here threatned against all prophane Swearers If of every idle word that we shall Mat. 12. 36. speak of the same shall we give account at the day of judgment how much more then of every horrid oath and wicked cursing Oh that the terror of 2 Cor. 5. 11. the Lord might awaken and perswade men The Lord is a Sin-revenging God a consuming fire a jealous God Who Heb. 12. 29. Isai 33. 14. can dwell with everlasting burnings who can dwell with devouring fire These even
these ungodly Swearers shall and that for ever for the Lord hath said He will not hold him guiltless that takes His name in vain God will have us to fear and reverence His glorious and fearful name the Deut. 28. 58. Psal 99. 3. Lord our God Let men praise His great and terrible name for it is holy The Jews heretofore were and yet still are so superstitious erring too much on the right hand that they mention not the Name of God but by a circumloquution and so had divers phrases to express God by as Caiaphas said to Christ Art thou the Son of the Blessed Mark 14. 61. would not say of God or of the Lord. But these on the contrary cannot speak six words without an oath and think it a Gentile quality and a gracing to their speeches to swear by the great and dreadful name of God I must not say they are Atheists although I really Tit. 1. 15 16. believe them so to be their mind and conscience is desiled They profess that they know God but in their works they deny Him being abominable disobedient unto every good work reprobate Like as they abhor not evil and abhor Psal 36. 4 10 3. Zech. 11. 8. to walk in God's ways even so the Lord will abhor them Their worm shall not dye neither shall their fire be quenched Isai 66. 24. and they shall be an abhorring to all flesh Although they think as their brethren of old those wicked rebellious Jews that they have made a Covenant with death and that they are at an agreement with Hell that when the Isai 28. 15. over-flowing scourge shall pass through that it shall not come unto them But the Lord telleth them your covenant 18. with death shall be disanulled and your agreement with hell shall not stand when the overflowing scourge shall pass through then ye shall be trodden down by it Some may think me too invective or â—atyrical against these prophane Sweaâ—ers let such know that these are the people against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever They are God's Mal. 1. 4. â—nemies that take His name in vain Psal 139. 20. which should cause grief of heart and detestation of spirit to all those that love and fear the Lord. So the following words of David are Do not I hate Verses 21 22. them O Lord that hate thee and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee I hate them with a perfect hatred I count them mine enemies We have not a prophetical spirit as David had to know certainly God's enemies although by their fruits they may be known we Mat. â— 20. may and must hate their vices and wickednesses and leave them to the righteous judgment of God continuing to mourn for these abominations which do make the Land to mourn and not ceasing to pray for them If peradventure 2 Tim. 2. 25 26. God will give them repentance unto life and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil who are taken captive by him at his will to do his will Never was a child more like his father than they are like their father the Devil whose works they Joh. 8. 44. do By cursing and swearing whoredom Hos 4. 4. and adultery they break out for usually these abominable sins with others the like do go together they that make no conscience of one sin neither will they of another And when once the Devil hath gotten sound footing in such or such persons he drives them on without resistance They break all bonds asunder and cast all cords from them no bounds will hold them neither Psal 2. 3. Luk. 18. 4. the Laws of God nor man for they fear neither nor the checks of their own Consciences But like fed horses Jer. â— 8. neigh after their neighbours wise therefore God will cast them into a bed but it shall be a siery one into great tribulations Rev. 8. 22. except they repent of their deeds for whore-mongers and adulterers Heb. 13. 4. God will judge though they may escape the judgment of men yet God will assuredly judge them and will render to every one according to his 2 Cor. 5. 10 works Although while they are here they make the Land to mourn and the earth to groan under them to bear such wicked wretches God will come and Rom. 8. 2â— put a difference between him that sweareth and him that feareth an oath So Eccles 9. 2. we leave these Swearers who have attained to the highest form in the Devil's School By all these things we are taught how grievously they do sin who swear so rashly and easily oaths flowing from them as water out of a conduit in their ordinary speeches and discourses whose mouths are full of cursings and bitterness Rom. 3. 14. Job 15. 5. whose mouths utter their iniquities their own mouth condemns them Verse 6. and their own lips testifie against them they in the mean time not thinking that thereby they do expose the glory and the name of God to scorn and so do urge and provoke God to shew and inflict the severity of His judgments and vengeance upon them for the Lord will not suffer those to go unpunished who thus take His name in vain The Son of Syrach said Accustom not Ecclesiasticus 23. 9 10 11 thy mouth to swearing neither use thy self to the naming of the holy one For as a servant that is continually beaten shall not be without a blew-mark so he that sweareth and nameth God continually shall not be faultless A man that useth much swearing shall be filled with iniquity and the plague shall never depart from his house If he shall offend his sin shall be upon him and if he acknowledge not his sin he maketh a double offence and if he swear in vain he shall not be innocent but his house shall be full of calamities There is none that frequently swears but sometimes he forswears or perjureth himself like-as he who useth his mouth to multitude of words sometimes must needs speak unfit things Therefore said the wise man In the multitude of words Prov. 10. 19. there wanteth not sin But some will think to say O Lord O God O Jesus c. in their common talk or in a wondering way good God! good Lord is no sin Know assuredly that such foolish admirations and taking of God's Holy name lightly into our mouths on every slight occasion is utterly condemned in the third Commandment So the Reverend Archbishop Vsher and many other reverend and learned Divines do firmly conclude There is also a superstitious and idolatrous oath to swear by an idol or by Gods Creatures as by the Mass our Zeph. 1. 5. Lady c. by bread fish salt fire Amos 8. 14. light and many such-like fond trashes Whereas God never made or appointed His creatures for such uses Others will plight
justice and judgment and so opened to him a way that he might run head-long to his own utter ruine and destruction So God confounds his implacable enemies two ways here 1. By hardness of heart which ariseth as we said before when God with-draweth His Grace from a man and leaveth him to himself so as he goeth on from sin to sin and never repenteth to the last gasp And we must esteem of it as a most fearful and terrible judgment of God for when the heart is possessed therewith it becomes so flinty and rebellious that a man will never relent or turn to God This was manifest in Pharaoh for though God sent most grievous plagues upon him and all the Land of Egypt yet would he not submit or humble himself save only for a fit while the hand of God was so heavy upon him for when the hand of God was removed he returned to his former obstinacy wherein he persisted until he was drowned in the red Sea And this judgment of God of hardness of heart is the more fearful because when a man is in the midst of all misery he feels no misery 2. God confounds His enemies as by hardness of heart so by final desperation I say final because all kind of desperation is not evil for a man may despair of himself and of his own power in the matter of Salvation which tends to his everlasting comfort But final desperation is when a man utterly despairs of the pardon of his sins and of everlasting life Examples we have in Saul that slew himself in Achitophel and Judas that hanged themselves c. This sin of desperation is caused thus so many sins as thou committest without repentance so many wounds thou givest to thine own soul and in life or death God will make thee to feel the smart of it and the weight of them all whereby the soul sinks down to the gulph of despair without recovery The sins which thou committest lye at the door of thy heart though thou feel them not as God said unto Cain Gen. 4. 7. sin lyeth at the door and if thou dost not prevent them by speedy and timely repentance God will make thee to feel them once before thou dyest and raise up such terrours in thy Conscience that thou shalt think thy self to be in Hell before thou art there They that were sent from the chief Priests c. to apprehend Christ though He had acknowledged I am He and they were astonished and fell to the ground and He had miraculously healed Joh. 18. 12. Malchus his ear yet for all though they had seen his wonderful power both in word and deed they proceed in malice against Him and bind Him as a Malefactor In this we note what a fearful sin hardness of heart is The danger whereof appears in this that if a man be possessed with it there is nothing that can stay or daunt him in his wicked proceedings no not the powerful words and deeds of our Saviour Himself And indeed among all God's judgments there is none more fearful than this of hardness of heart and yet how rife is it among us even in these our days For it is very evident that the more men are taught the Doctrine of Gods Law and Gospel the more hard and senseless are their hearts like unto an anvil the more it is beaten upon with the iron hammer the harder it is So that that denunciation against the Jews Acts 28. 26 27. is fulfilled in them It is such a terrible judgment of God into which when a man is fallen he feels neither pain nor grief Therefore we have cause with fear and trembling to look into it lest it take such hold of us that we be past all hopes of recovery Sin is a deceitful thing and custom in sin brings hardness of heart therefore read that Heb. 3. 13. and Rom. 2. 5. Let us bewail and be humbled for our hardness of heart whereby we are hindered from knowing and acknowledging God aright and from discerning His glory and Majesty from acknowledging God's judgments or our own sins dreaming we are safe from God's vengeance and such perils and miseries which arise from sin whereas all those out of Christ and in this estate have nothing stands between them and vengeance EXERCITATION THE TENTH Exod. 31. 13 14 15 16 17. Verily my Sabbath ye shall keep for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctifie you Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore for it is holy unto you every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death for whosoever doth any work therein that soul shall be cut off from among his people Six days may work be done but in the seventh is the Sabbath of rest holiness to the Lord. Whosoever doth any work in the sabbath-Sabbath-day he shall surely be put to death Wherefore the Children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetual Covenant It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel for ever for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth and on the seventh He rested Exod. 20. 8. Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy HEre we have the Commandment of God for the strict observation of the Sabbath-day No one Commandment so often iterated or so much pressed This Commandment requireth at the hand of every man one day of seven in every week to be set a-part unto a holy rest and requireth all persons to separate themselves from their ordinary labour and all other exercises to God's Service alone on that day that so being severed from their worldly businesses and all the works of their Labours and Callings concerning this Nehem. 13. 15. 22. life they may wholly attend to the Worship of God alone wholly to separate themselves to the Worship and Service of God that they may with more freedom of Spirit perform the same If Adam in his perfection had need of this holy day as it was first enjoyned in the state of innocency much more Gen. 2. 2 3. have we To teach man from time to time on the Sabbath-day to withdraw himself from the cares and labours of this life to apply himself in freedom and tranquillity of mind to the meditations and actions of a spiritual life Q. But some will say this fourth Commandment is ceremonial and so it is taken away by the death of Christ A. I answer No but it is constantly and perpetually to be observed 1. For it is placed in the number of the ten Commandments which are perpetual otherwise the Moral Law should consist but of nine which is contrary to God's Word And He declared unto Deut. 4. 13. you His covenant which He commanded you to perform even ten Commandments 2. Because this fourth Commandment among the rest and in the middle of them as a Diamond in a ring was written
by the finger of God whereas Exod. 31. 18. no part of the ceremonial Law was 3. It was written in tables of stone to signifie the perpetuity of it 4. It was before any ceremony of the Law yea before Christ promised for it was instituted in Paradise Gen. 2. 2 3. 5. The ceremonies were as a partition-wall betwixt Jews and Gentiles but God extends this Commandment not only to the Jews but also to strangers Exod. 20. 10. Herein I say the Moral Law which is the ten Commandments is preheminent above the ceremonial or judicial Law 1. Because the Moral Law is a foundation of the other Laws and they are reducible to it 2. The Moral Law was to abide always but not the ceremonial nor judicial 3. This was immediately written by God and commanded to be kept in the Ark which the others were not The ceremonial Law was to continue but until Christ came The judicial Law Gal. 3. 19. was for the Jews political estate for the time being But of the Moral Law it is spoken The Lord came from Sinai with Deut. 33. 2. ten thousand of His Saints from his right hand went a fiery law for them The Service and Ministery of the Angels in promulgating of the Law makes much to the honour of the Law for we never read of a Law enacted by so solemn sacred and august a Senate as the Moral Law was where Jesus Christ accompanied with thousands of Angels was the Speaker and gave these Precepts Acts 7. 53. Heb. 2. 2. Psal 68. 8. By how much the more glory God put upon this Moral perpetual Law the greater is their sin who derogate from it I have read a story of Stesâ—chorus that when in some words he had disparaged Helena's beauty he was stricken with blindness but afterwards when he praised her again he obtained his sight It may be because some men have not set forth the due excellency of this Moral Law God hath taken away their eye-sight not to see the beauty of it but let them begin with holy David to set forth the excellent benefits of it and then they may see the glory perpetuity and morality of it more than ever How careful then should men be that they transgress not this Law which hath so sacred authority It was Christ that appeared to Moses in the bush He is also called the Acts 7. 35. Isai 63. 9. Angel of the Covenant because He made that Covenant of the Law with the people on Mount Sinai And it was no created Angel for thus He beginneth I am Jehovah thy God who brought thee out of the land of Egypt Well might Paul then speaking of the Moral Law say It is holy just and good Rom. 7. 12. Away then with those prophane opinions and licentious Doctrines of some against the Sabbath-day which is a taking away of one of the Commandments The Sabbath hath its morality and perpetuity from the meer positive Commandment of God Pardon this digression and come we to a more practical discourse The Sanctification of the Sabbath is Description whereby we rest from labours and outward work that man together with his family and beasts may be refreshed that the whole day may be spent in the Worship and Service of God So there are two parts of this 1. Rest from labour Parts of it 2. Sanctification of this Rest To sanctifie the Sabbath is not to make it holy so it is already by God's institution but to separate it from prophane uses and to devote it to the Worship of God We must omit upon this day the works of our outward temporal Vocation which must be done in the six dayes of the week But the proper works of the Sabbath are these three 1. Works of Necessity which are allowed for our bodily sustentation 2. Works of Charity both to man and beasts which can no ways be deferred to another day So our Saviour which of you having an Oxe or an Ass Luk. 14. 5. fall into a pit will not help him out on the Sabbath day 3. But especially of works Piety which are the proper works of the Sabbath as to frequent the publick Assembly to read and hear to meditate and speak of the Word of God sing Psalms receive the Sacrament to exhort and encourage each other to Piety to build up Jude â—0 each other in our most holy faith praying in the Holy Ghost c. And to refrain all those things which may hinder divert or distract the mind from the Service of God and everlasting benefit of our Souls such as vain thoughts idle worldly and unsavoury speeches which no ways tend to edification pastimes recreations and such-like which are Isai 58. 13 14. expresly forbidden in the Prophet Isaiah as some well observe which may be explained thus Turn thy foot from the Sabbath that is from spurning at it and this is Paraphrased by not doing our own ways nor finding our own pleasure nor speaking our own words Herein is the negative Sanctification of the Sabbath Affirmatively it consists as the same Prophet farther goes on 1. In calling the Sabbath our delight that is in a real account of it to be such and using it as such both in desiring it before it comes and rejoycing in it when it is come as a good and joyful day 2. In calling it the holy of the Lord that is by faith to apprehend it to be of His holy institution and so set it apart from all other worldly time to sanctifie it 3. In calling it honourable or a glorious day a portion of time honoured with the name of God stamped upon it as the day of days and so accounting and using of it 4. In honouring Jehovah herein by declaring His holiness and goodness in His Sabbath setting forth His praise from morning to night The due sanctifying of the Sabbath is hedged about with many great and precious promises both of the upper and nether springs Judg. 1. 15. heavenly and earthly blessings to keep men close to their obedience why should not these cords of love bind and engage men They who abhor Sabbath-performing in duty drive the Lord from promise-performing in mercy bitterness will be to them in the latter end I have observed that a serious strict and conscientious observation of the Sabbath is the outward greatest character of an upright and gracious person The 92 Psalm entituled a Psalm for the Sabbath-day declareth that it is a good thing to begin the day with Praises to God early in the morning and continue the same until it be night Q. Some will say this strict observation of the Sabbath belonged only to the Jews A. Nay but as the most Reverend Arch Bishop Vsher and others very well say we are bound more strictly to observe these Sabbath-duties than they were and that because of the greater measures of Gods Graces upon us than ever were given unto them Q. But the
day is altered The Jews did and do observe Saturday because upon that day God rested from the work of Creation which now is changed into the first day of the week A. This was done not by humane but by Divine authority which appears by the practice of Christ and the Apostles Joâ— 20. 19. 26. 20. 7. which should be a sufficient rule to us especially because the Apostles have added a Commandment thereunto And 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. there is no other reason but in regard of the Lord Christ's special institution Rev. 1. 10. why it should be called the Lords-day as the Lords Prayer because of His making and the Lords Supper is so also 1 Cor. 11 2â— called because it was of Christ's immediate institution therefore there is no special mention made of it in the New Testament because there was no question made at all of this change in the Apostles time it was so commonly known and another reason which I imagine why it is not mentioned in the New Testament not to deter the Jews from coming into the Church for we read in several places of the Acts of the Apostles how much and how far they Acts 15. 29. 21. 24. condescended to the Jews to win them to Christ So this day is specially dedicated to the Lords service for otherwise all the dayes of the week are the Lords dayes and he is to be served and worshipped in them but on this day wholly and more especially For Christ alone could change the sabbath day who is the Lord of the Sabbath Mat. 12. 8. Athanasiuâ— plainly saith that Christ himself did change the day There are many more arguments for the change of the Sabbath which we read of but I spare prolixity As God rested from the works of Creation then he sanctified and blessed the seventh day on which He rested so it was meet that our Lord Jesus Christ having finished the work of our Redemption on the Cross when He said It is finished and Joh. 19. 30. bowed His head and gave up the ghost and rested in the grave and was declared to be the Son of God with power Rom. 1. 4. by His resurrection from the dead this same day in which Christ rested from His labour and the work of our redemption which was greater than the work of Creation this day did He sanctifie unto Himself This day as Christ sanctified by His resurrection so by twice Joh. â—â— 19. â—â— Acts 2 â— â— appearing to His Apostles on the same day and by sending the Holy Ghost upon them on the same day which day Acts 20. â— 1 Cor. 16. â— Apoâ— â— â—â— the Apostles observed and the Churches also But in the words at first read God said that the Sabbath was a sign between Him and the Children of Israel therefore some say it is a type or a ceremony or a representation of something to come We have proved it not to be a ceremony but we may well and will also grant it to be a type or representation of our heavenly rest that perpetual Sabbath Heb. 4. 3. 9. of rest we shall keep there But sign signifies here as much as a document so Christ said By this shall Joh. 13. 35. all men know that ye are My Disciples if ye love one another In the observation of the Lords Day there is a common and publick profession made of that Communion which is between God and us So then every solemn profession is a sign of that thing of which it is a profession so also the Sabbath is called a Sign in that common reason But some will say this Sabbath was enjoyned only to the Children of Israel what is that to us This belongs also to the spiritual Israel and not only to the bodily which Rom. 9. â— were of that lineage by corporal generation The Jews alone were Israel 1 Cor. 10. 18. after the flesh but we also after the spirit for the believing Gentiles are called the Israel of God Gal. 6. 1â— The word Remember is prefixed to this fourth Commandment to shew that although all the Commandments are needful diligently to be observed and remembred yet this more especially The word Remember is to put us in mind 1. Of our natural forgetfulness of this Commandment 2. Of the excellency and worth of it 3. To prepare our selves for the due keeping of it For we are naturally most negligent in it suffering our selves to be with-drawn by our worldly businesses from the Lords Service upon the Lords day and therefore such a special warning is needful to be added And as to keep it holy when it is come so also to prepare our selves for it and put our hearts our selves in a ready sabbath-Sabbath-days posture and to dispose our worldly businesses so that if possible we may have no avocation lett or hinderance on the Lords day To speak a little more of the words read at first in Exodus 31. 13 c. for this word Verily the Septuagint render it see to it or look unto it that ye keep My Sabbath then we have the reasons annexed 1. It is a sign between Me and you of which word Sign we have spoken already 2. That ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctifie you as ye expect a Sabbath-blessing or for Me to instamp My image of holiness upon you see that ye keep holy My Sabbath Observe here also the frequent iterated injunctions ye shall keep it holy therefore 3. It is fenced with such dreadful Comminations Every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death And whosoever doth any work therein that soul shall be cut off from amongst his people And again he shall surely be put to death and more such expressions here are So then it is not at every man's liberty if he will observe the Sabbath or no. God as He is faithful in His promises of mercy so also in His threatnings of vengeance Although Sabbath-prophaners may escape punishment here God will assuredly without great repentance make them suffer for ever hereafter for slighting neglecting and breaking of His Covenant of the Sabbath For the breaking of the Sabbath is a violation of the whole Worship of God Wo therefore to those prophane ungodly Sabbath-breakers who are also usually addicted to Oaths Cursings and Blasphemies to Whoredom Drunkenness and other notorious abominations for one such hainous sin never goes alone whose judgment lingreth 2 Pet. 2. 3. not and their damnation slumbreth not Wo also to those who idle away the Sabbath spending it in worldly discourses gadding gazing idleness and such-like as if the negative part of keeping the Sabbath thou shalt do no manner of work were enough never looking to the positive part to keep it holy to spend the whole day in God's Service to His glory and for their own spiritual edification and advantage They that will not sanctifie God's rest here shall never enter
into His rest hereafter Now a little to speak farther of the right sanctifying of the Lords day summarily and we have done Our care must be over-night having laid aside all our earthly affairs to begin to fit our selves for the Lords-day and His Service thereon Rising as early or earlier on the Lords day as we do on other days for our own businesses as David said O Lord thou art my God Psal 63. 1. early will I seek thee when we are dressing our selves let us have heavenly thoughts as to put on the garments of Christ's righteousness to be as a Bride trimmed to meet the Bridegroom of our Souls Then to retire our selves and pray to God that He will prepare our hearts aright for the preparation of the Psal 10. 17. Prov. 16. 1. heart is from the Lord. That God would enable us for to sanctifie His holy name in all our duties of worship for He will be sanctified of all that draw Levit. 10 3. near to Him Then if we are governours of families to call our family together and strive to prepare them likewise so to Psal 42. 4. Josh 24. 15. Acts 16. 14. Mat. 15. 10. go to the house of God together that we and our family may serve the Lord Attend diligently to the Word of God hear and understand and hear as for our lives so to hear as our souls Isai 55. 3. Deut. 30. 19. may live it is not a vain thing it is for our lives take heed also be not forgetful hearers of the Word but doers of it Jam 1. 22. that we may be blessed in the deed else we deceive our own souls and that is the greatest deceit and of most dismal consequence Let us joyn with the Congregation in Prayer Sing with the Spirit and sing with understanding also 1 Cor. 14. 15. If the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper be administred having duely prepared ourselves let us receive it When the Sacrament of Baptism is administred Pray for the party baptized give thanks to God for adding one member more to His outward visible Church and remember we our vow made to God in our Baptism to be humbled for the breaking of it and resolve by God's Grace to perform it better for the future And depart not from the Church before the Minister hath pronounced the blessing And so let us not turn our backs on any of God's ordinances When we come home let us feed in fear and season it with meditation and speeches of holy things After Dinner let us meditate confer on and repeat what we have heard examine and catechize our families and strive to make that we heard to be our own ruminating upon it as those only were clean beasts under the Law which did chew Lev. 11. 3. the cud Then to return in season to the afternoon Publick Worship and demean our selves as in the morning When we return home then to do as before we did after dinner If we are enforced to walk through the fields then to contemplate the works of God His Providence and Mercies After Supper to confer read meditate sing Psalms instruct exhort encourage c. And close the day with Prayer craving pardon for sin and for the iniquities of our holy things Pray for more Grace to profit by all we have heard for it is God alone that teaches us to profit and that we may persevere therein Isai 48. 17. unto the end blessing God that hath given us one Sabbath-day more and hath in any measure assisted us in the performance of our duties Thus sanctifying the Sabbath God hath made it not only our duty so to do but also an essential means of His bestowing Mercies Blessings and increase of Grace on us in this our religious observation of the same Thus God blessed the Sabbath-day Isai 56. 6 7. When we lye down in our beds examine we our hearts how we are bettered what increase of knowledge and Grace what strength against corruptions what heavenly-mindedness more we have obtained And so repose our selves to sleep in the arms of our heavenly Father having heavenly thoughts in our hearts that we may be able comfortably to say How precious are thy thoughts to me O God that is my thoughts which I have of Thee how great is the sum of them when I awake Psal 139. 17 18 I am still with Thee Be not weary of Sabbath-duties and exercises like those wicked Jews who said When will the sabbath be gone that Amos 8. 5 Mal. 1. 13. we may go to our worldly businesses and what a weariness is this and so snuffed at it These men and women are far from tasting how gracious the Lord is and from those who by reason of use 1 Pet. 2. 3. Heb. 5. 14. have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil They see no such excellency and preciousness in Christ they find no sweetness in His ordinances to say with Peter Lord it is good for us Mat. 17. 4. to be here They are far from David's temper to have their souls to long yea even to faint for the courts of the Lord Psal 84. 1 2. and cry out when shall I come and appear before God our blessed Saviour for us spent a whole night in Prayer to Luk. 6. 12. God Heaven will be no Heaven to Rev. 4. 8. 11. such persons as these where we shall for ever be praising God And like as God rested the seventh day from all His works Heb. 4. 4. 10. as one would say God did retire Himself to the quiet enjoyment of Himself His glory and blessedness So we being by death freed from the works of this life from all our labours and toâ—ls from all sin and suffering from all sorrow and misery when God shall wipe away â—â—v 7. 17. â—â—â— 35. 10. all tears from our eyes and sorrow and sighing shall flee away then shall we altogether live with God in the perfect rest of glory For there remaineth a rest or keeping an everlasting Sabbath â—â—â— 4. 11. to the people of God Sabbath in Hebrew signifies Cessavit Addition quievit vacavit a Sabbath-day is a day of rest It signifies not such a rest as when one sitteth still and doth nothing but a resting and ceasing from doing that which he did before So God called this day a Sabbath which He dedicated and consecrated to His own publick Worship 1. Because on that day God rested from His creation of all those new species but not from conserving and propagating of them by the continual generation of individuals 2. Because the Sabbath is a representation of that spiritual rest from sin and of that rest in everlasting life 3. Because that we must on that day cease from all our secular and worldly employments that devoting our selves wholly to God's Worship He may work His work upon our hearts and exercise His works in us 4. That our
search wherefore the Lord hath done so unto us For God hath holy ends and purposes in all His dispensations towards us Hath God taken away a near Relation from me as a loving Husband tender Wife or a hopeful Child to instance in these which was the desire of mine eyes and the joy of my heart if God hath taken Ezek. 34. 16. them away with His stroke did not I dote or depend too much upon them did not my heart run out too much after them did I use them so as I should when I did enjoy them ask thy self these and the like questions Commune Psal 4. 4. with thine own heart and be still go to God in Prayer and say wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto me what meaneth the heat of this great anger Deut. 29. 24. But be sure to fall out with thy sins and not with God So search and try thy ways and turn unto the Lord Lam. 3. 40. with thy whole heart for He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children ver 33. of men Are they dead death hath passed and will pass upon all men for Rom. 5. 12. that all have sinned It is appointed to Heb. 9. 27. all men once to dye We must needs dye and are all as water spilt upon the ground 2 Sam. 14. 14. which cannot be gathered up again We are strangers and sojourners here as all our fathers were our days on the earth are but as a shadow and here is no abiding If we did not dye we should 1 Chron. 29. 15. always be subject to sin and misery death freeth the Saints from all for Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord yea so saith the Spirit for they Rev. 14. 13. rest from their labours and their works follow them But see if it be not for any particular sin of thine this affliction is befallen thee if upon serious search thou findest it so to be then be humbled for it repent and amend and walk more closely with God for the future That it may not be said of thee as formerly of Ephraim gray hairs are here and there Hos 7. 9. upon him yet he knoweth it not that is he considered not God's Judgments knew not nor was humbled for his sins waxed old in his wickedness yet did not he know it or lay it to heart God doth now empty thee from vessel to vessel Jer. 48. 11 and doth not suffer thee to be at ease to be setled upon thy lees O therefore let not the taste of thine old corruptions remain in thee to rellish of them and like them as formerly and thy scent not to be changed when thou art as worldly and wicked as ever Zeph. 1â— 12. For the Lord will surely search thee as with candles and punish thee and all those that are setled upon their Lees. Whatever was good and commendable in thy Deceased Relations that follow practice and imitate and make good use of This affliction of thine is a tryal Ezek. 21. 13. Isaiah 48. 10. God will try thee now in the Furnace of affliction This may be a sign unto thee that thou belongest unto God who hath his â—ire in Zion and his Furnace Isaiah 31. 9. in Jerusalem Although God may let some run on in outward prosperity and to have even more than heart can Psal 73. 7. Gen. 15. 16. Mat. 23. 32. wish and others to run on in sin till they have filled up the measure of their iniquities God would purifie thee Oh be thou purified and clensed hereby That the tryal of thy faith being 1 Pet. 1. 7 much more precious then of gold that perisheth though it be tryed with fire might be sound unto praise and honour and glory at the appearance of Jesus Christ Thus we see that the afflictions of the Godly are for correction and for tryal Blessed are they whom thou chastenest O Psal 94. 12. Lord and teachest them out of thy Law When Instruction and Correction go together that is a happy and a blessed Correction Think also on the Saints of God who through faith and patience inherit the promises Heb. 6. 12. Labour to set Faith on Work yea let the tryal of thy Faith work in the patience and let patience have its perfect Jam. 1. 3 4. work that thou mayest be perfect and entire lacking nothing Thou canst not be a through-out and perfect and an accomplished Christian unless thou hast obtained this excellent grace of Patience see that thou abound in this grace also 2 Cor. 8. â— Q. But why are afflictions call'd temptations as blessed is the man that endureth Jam. 1. 12â— Jam. 1. 2. temptations And count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations I answer All temptations are not evil but some are tryals of our Faith and Hope in God if we can live by Faith and rest upon the promises and so they make much for our good And in this regard they are pronounced that fall into divers temptations Therefore ought we not simply to pray and without exception to be delivered from them but only from the evil of them As God led Israel 40 years in the Wilderness to humble them and to prove them to know what was in their Deut. 8. â— 13. 3. heart whether they would keep his Commandments or no. And to prove them whether they would love the Lord their God with all their hearts and with all their souls So afflictions are called temptations because by them God tryeth our Obedience to notisie our faith and patience both to our selves and others whether we will follow him or not And therefore we may be assured that so often as we beat back or overcome the temptations we have so many undoubted testimonies of Gods love unto us So then Patience is from the acknowledging of Gods Wisdom Providence Justice and Goodness to be Obedient unto him in bearing all adversities and crosses or losses which the Lord hath brought upon us and through grief not to murmur or repine at any of his dispensations nor to do any thing against his Commâ—â—â—ements but in the midst of our grief to retain assured hope and confidence of Gods help and to crave aid and deliverance from him and in this confidence and acknowledging of Gods Will to moderate our grief Psal 37. 7 8 34. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him Fret not thy self in any wise to do evil So we see that patience is a duty belonging to the First Commandement not only because it 's a part of that inward obedience which we owe to God and he immediately requires it to himself at our hands but also because that from our acknowledging of God our confidence in him and our love and fear of him do follow as necessary effects To this Christian patience impatience is contrary and opposed which impatience is when through ignorance or distrust of
complaint for want of glory nor of envying others that have more Christ after the day of Judgment shall remain King for ever for He shall not so deliver up the Kingdom to His Father 1 Cor. 15. 24. that He shall cease to reign But that He may represent to His Father that His Kingdom is compleat and shall remain so for ever The meaning of those words is thus when Christ as Mediator hath been established King of the whole World but especially of His Church to gather together govern and bring unto His Father all His Elect and to destroy His enemies shall have brought His work to an end and so deliver up the Kingdom to His Father that as verse 28. God may be all in all that is the Father with the Son and Holy Ghost in Unity of Essence and Glory shall begin to reign immediately over His Church in a manner altogether new namely by Himself without any outward means without the work of Angels or Men Ecclesiastical or Political Orders as it is in this world and likewise without any adversaries or oppositions filling all His with His light love life and glory Which indeed will not a whit disannul Christs Kingdom but only change the meaner form thereof into a more sublime majestical glorious and most perfect form That God may be all in all that is that God the whole blessed Trinity may immediately and absolutely work fully in all the Elect who shall then be perfectly united unto God and that He may Possess Govern and Rule them for ever Now to speak a little where these glorious mansions are in Heaven Philosophers speak of ten Heavens but we shall wave that and speak according to Scripture-phrase and so there are three Heavens 3 Heavens The first is all that whole space from the earth to the sphere of the Moon where the birds flie therefore they are called the folws of Heaven and whence Mat. 6. 26. the rain hail and snow thunder and lightning wind and other Meteors do descend So God opened the Windows Gen. 7. 11. Deut. 28. 12. of Heaven and poured down rain upon the earth The second Heaven is and consists of all those visible Orbs where the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or whole expansion is called the Firmament Gen. 1. 14. 15. Gen. 1. 8. and God called the firmament Heaven and in this God hath placed the Sun Moon and other Stars which are called in Scripture the Stars of Heaven Num. 3. 16. The third Heaven is that where God is said especially to dwell whither Christ ascended whither St. Paul in a 2 Cor. 12. 2. rapture was caught up into this third Heaven and where all the blessed ones shall be for ever This is the Heaven whereof we now speak Objection But some may ask Where the Soul is when it goeth out of the body and in what condition the Soul lives being separate from the body until the day of Judgment The Papists feign a Purgatory that Solution they may be purged from their sins which is contrary to the Scripture For the Scripture teacheth us that not the sire of Purgatory after this life of which there is no mention made in Scripture but the blood of Christ laid hold on and applied by a lively faith while we are here in this life doth cleanse our souls from all sin And 1 John 1. 7. that the souls of the faithful after death are not thrust into a place of torment but that they are gathered unto Christ into Abrahams bosome The meaning Luk. 16. 23. of into Abrahams bosome is thus it is the gesture of a good Father towards his little and tender Children to cherish them in his bosome The souls of the faithful presently after their departure out of the body are carry'd by the Angels up into heaven into the communion of all true believers of whom Abraham was the Titular Father and therefore called the Father of the faithful Rom. 4. 16 I say That presently after death the soul appears before God to Judgment Eccl. 12. 7. either to be gathered into the Mansions of the blessed or to be cast into Hell into the state of the damned from whence there is no redemption and then truly are tormented in those infernal flames but yet are reserved for greater torments against the last Day when soul and body shall be joyned together again And for this the Scripture is very clear So our Saviour said Father into Thy hands I commit my Spirit Luk. 23. 46. Stephen at his death kneeled down and said Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Acts 7. 59. Phil. 1. 23. 2 Cor. 5. 8 Paul desireth to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all Therefore not in Purgatory So the faithful are desirous and willing to be absent from the body that they may be present with the Lord. And this is the last Article of Faith as the Crown of all I believe the life everlasting or that there is an everlasting life which holds out these three things 1. I believe that after this life there shall be another life in which all the true members of the Church shall be glorifi'd and shall praise God for ever and ever 2. I believe that I am a member of this Church and so shall be a partaker of everlasting life 3. That in this life I have by Faith the beginning of everlasting life For Christ said He that believeth in Me Joh. 3. 36. hath everlasting life So this profit and comfort hence redoundeth unto me that in and through Christ I am justifi'd before God and am an heir of everlasting life Q. Shall we know each other and our Relations in heaven A. Mark the saying of the Apostle Henceforth know we no man after the 2 Cor. 5. 16. flesh yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet henceâ—orth know we Him no more that is not with an affection meerly humane civil and natural but wholly with a Divine and spiritual affection befitting the state of glory Having premised this I answer in this Syllogism We shall enjoy in heaven every good thing and comfortable gift which may any way increase or add to our joy and happiness But meeting in heaven with our old dear Christian friends knowing of them and enjoying them never to part more either with them or all other the glorious Inhabitants in those heavenly Mansions will ravish us with sweetest delight Therefore we shall know one another in heaven nay our minds being abundantly enlightned with all wisdom and knowledg we shall be able to know not only those holy persons of our former relation or acquaintance but also such as we never knew before in the flesh even all the faithful which ever were are or shall be We shall be able then to say This was Abraham Isaac or Jacob Samuel David c. This was my Father Mother this was my child c. This was he
to do us good But though God turn not away from us oh how apt are we to turn away from Him Nay saith the Lord I will Jer. 32. 40. put my fear in their hearts and they shall not depart from me God inclines our hearts to do those things which He commandeth and so by over-powring our stubborn and perverse wills He makes us to be a willing people in the day of His power Psal 110. 3. First This Covenant of Grace is one in substance for there is one God one Mediator between God and men even Christ Jesus one manner of reconciliation Acts 4. 12. Joh. 14. 6 8. 56. one faith one way of salvation and that for all those that are saved since the beginning of the world or shall be saved to the end of it So the Covenant of Grace is one according to the principal conditions whereby 1. God obligeth Himself to us promising remission of Sins to all those who repent and believe and we do bind our selves to believe in God and act repentance 2. But according to the less principal conditions or as others say the manner of administration so they are two Covenants the Old and the New the first and the second Q. Wherein do the two Covenants agree viz. this old and new A. 1. They agree in the author God and in the Mediator Christ 2. In the promise of Grace which is of pardon of Sin and life everlasting freely given to those that believe by and through Christ which promise of Grace was common to the Saints of old as well as unto us although now it is more clear and more often repeated 3. In the condition in respect of us In both God required faith and obedience So to Abraham Walk before Gen. 17. 1. Mark 1. 15. me and be upright And to us Repent and believe the Gospel So the new Covenant agrees with the old according to the principal conditions both in respect of God and also of us Q. Wherein the new Covenant and the old do differ A. 1. In corporal promises as the Land of Canaan promised to the Jews their form of ceremonial Worship and their outward political Government until Christ came Christ to be of their seed and many other such-like But the new Covenant hath not such special corporal promises but only in general that God will preserve His Church to the end of the world c. 2. In the circumstances of the promise of Grace In the old Covenant they were received into Grace and favour upon believing in Christ that was to come In the new Covenant we are received into Grace and favour by believing in Christ that is already come 3. In the rights and signs added to the promise of Grace for in the old Covenant there were other Sacraments various chargeable painful as Circumcision the Passeover Oblations Sacrifices But in the new Covenant there are fewer Sacraments and they more simple as Baptism and the Supper of the Lord. 4. In the clearness in the old Covenant all were typical and under shaddows as their Priests Sacrifices c. so all things were obscure But in the New Covenant all things are clearer both in Doctrine and in Sacraments we having the fulfilling of the types 5. The old Covenant and the new do differ in gifts heretofore it was more narrow and sparing now a more large Jer. 31. 31 2 Cor. 3. 9. Joel 2. 28. and plentiful effusion of the Graces of the Spirit I will make a new Covenant with them saith the Lord I will write My Law in their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be My people c. I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh c. 6. In the time the old Covenant was but temporary until the coming of the Messiah The new Covenant is eternal I will make an everlasting Covenant Jer. 32. 40 with them 7. In obliging the old Covenant obliged the people to all the Law both both Moral Ceremonial and Judicial The new Covenant obligeth us only to the Moral Law and to the use oâ— the Sacraments of Christ 8. In the amplitude and largeness in the old Covenant the Church was included within the Jewish Nation to which all others that would be saved must joyn themselves thence was that saying Salvation is of the Jews But in Joh. 4. 22. the new Covenant the Church is scaâ—tered over all Nations and access is open to it unto all believers Of every nation he that feareth God and worketh Acts 10. 35. righteousness is accepted of Him 1. Then take we heed of refusing this acceptable time and this day of Salvation Now the door is open let us come in thereat and joyn our selves to the Lord to be His Covenant-Servants and that for ever taking the Lord to be our God to love serve and fear Him and to keep his Commandments 2. The cause why God enters into Covenant with us is as because He loves Heb. 6. 18 us so to give us strong consolation that He will do us good and make us for to know it Labour we therefore for more knowledg of God in Christ to understand the unsearchable riches of Christ Eph. 3. 8 19. and to be filled with all the fulness of God For there may be knowledg without Grace but there can be no Grace without knowledg Then may we comfort our selves in applying the promises of the Covenant to our selves as to instance in these three promises only As 1 Of Justification when Sin lyes heavy on thy Conscience lay claim to the Covenant wherein God hath said Their sins and iniquities I will remember no more 2. Of Sanctification if a lust be too strong for thee and thou wouldst fain be rid of it go to God and beseech Him to make good His Covenant in this respect to deliver thee from all thine enemies to write His Law in thy heart to give thee a new heart to pour clean Ezek. 36. 25 26. water upon thee even the sanctifying Graces of His holy Spirit and from all thy filthinesses to cleanse thee And then as He said to St. Paul His Grace 2 Cor. 12. 6. shall be sufficient for thee 3. Of outward blessings and deliverances in every streight want danger disease or the like plead hard with God tell Him of His Covenant pray Him to be thy buckler and to deliver thee to supply all thy need and to be a present help unto thee in thy needful time of trouble c. The promises are full of consolation but thou must suck hard at these breasts of consolation and draw them out Isai 66. 11. And so make use of the promises to the utmost Thus Jacob stayed himself upon the promise when he was in great extremity and in very much fear of his rough brother Esau he urged God with his promise Lord thou hast said Thou Gen. 32. 12. 28. 13 15. wilt surely do me good deliver me
he that hath it It is better felt than expressed 3. We may know if we be in Covenant with God by our own knowledg After God had rehearsed the Covenant Jer. 31. 34. there He adds And they shall all know Me from the least to the greatest c. True knowledg of God in Christ first makes us to put off the old man with his deeds and to be renewed in the Spirit of our mind and to put on the Newman Eph. 4. 22 23 24. which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness and which is renewed in knowledg after the image of Him that created Him And 2. It worketh in us a readiness and Col. 3. 10. willingness to obey God and to serve Him when we are brought out of the slavery of Satan and from the bondage of sin and corruption that sin doth not reign over us then will we run the Rom. 6. 12. ways of God's Commandments and that with alacrity and chearfulness not thinking it a burden run and not be Psal 119. 32. Isai 40. 31. weary walk and not faint They who are thus in Covenant with God have a special interest in Him and have access with boldness to the throne of Grace through our great High-Priest Jesus the Son of God that they may obtain mercy and find Grace to help in time Heb. 4. 14 16. of need Therefore Abraham after God had so entred into Covenant with him refused the King of sodom and his gifts wholly relying on God's Covenant for His blessing and said I have lifted up my hand Gen. 14. 22 23. unto the Lord the most high God the possessor of heaven and earth that I will not take from a thred even to a shoo-latchet and that I will take any thing that is the King of Sodoms lest thou shouldst say I have made Abraham rich This also upheld David when he had 1 Sam. 30. 6. lost wives and children and goods the City burnt all lost and the people spake of stoning him then he encouraged himself in the Lord HIS God He glories in his Covenant-interest with God that God yet had made an everlasting Covenant with him ordered in all things and sure For this said he 2 Sam. 23. 5. is all my salvation and all my desire c. God saith to His Covenant-people The mountains shall depart and the hills Isai 54. 10. be removed but My kindness shall not depart from thee neither the Cavenant of My peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Read all the Chapter For the Lord hath avouched thee to Deut. 26. 16 17 18. be His peculiar servant that thou mayst be holy to the Lord thy God and thou hast avouched the Lord to be thy God to walk in His ways and to keep His Statutes Numb 14. 24. and His Commandments and His Judgments and to hearken to His voice And thou hast chosen thee the Lord to Josh 24. 22. serve Him O my soul thou hast said to the Lord thou art My Lord thou hast chosen and appropriated the Lord Jehovah Psal 16. 2. 140. 6. to be thy Lord. Let not therefore other Lords have â—saâ— 26. 13. dominion over thee as Satan sin thy foolish noysom lusts the profits or pleasures or vanities of this world ever bewitch thee or steal away thy heart from following this thy Lord and that fully As thou hast yielded thy members servants Numb 14. 24 to uncleanness and to iniquity unto Rom. 6. 19. iniquity Even so now yield thy members servants to righteousness unto holiness Let holiness to the Lord be written Zecâ— 14. 20. on thy heart and forehead on all the inward faculties of thy Soul and on all the members of thy body and on all thy whole conversation and commerce with men That all may take notice of Acts 4. 13. thee that thou hast been with Jesus that thou walkest the way to Zion with thy face thitherward and that thou hast joyned thy self to the Lord in a perpetual Jer. 50. 5. Covenant which shall not be forgotten that thy light may so shine before men that seeing thy good works they may glorifie thy Father which is Matt. 5. 16. in Heaven That thou mayest declare plainly that thou dost seek a countrey and Heb. 11. 14 16. that thou desirest a better countrey that is an heavenly that God may not be ashamed to be called thy God for He hath prepared for thee a City Even a City wherein is no Temple For in the Temple were the outward signs of God's presence but God in this heavenly City shall manifest Himself face to face to His elect in Christ And this City hath no need of the Sun Rev. 21. 22 23. neither of the Moon to shine in it for the glory of God doth lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof In that heavenly glory my husband Jesus Christ shall be the only means of of all the communication that I and all the Elect shall have in the glory and light of God in whose presence is fulness Psal 16. 11. of joy and at Whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore This God is my God and in Covenant Isai 25. 1. with me I will praise Him and bless His Name for ever and ever As the Lord hath entred into Covenant with me and married me unto Himself so He gives me always to be arrayed in sine linnen clean and white which Rev. 19. 8. sine linnen is the righteousness of the Saints that I may watch and keep my garments lest I walk naked and men see Rev. 16. 15. my shame That I hating even the garment Jude 23. Rev. 3. 4. spotted by the flesh may walk with God in white and may be esteemed worthy through the worthiness and righteousness of Christ imputed unto me In whom alone I desire to be found not Phil. 3. 9. having on mine own righteousness which is as menstruous rags but that Isai 30. 22. which is of God by faith I can never sufficiently magnifie and admire the eternal love of God to me in Christ that He hath chosen me in Him before the foundation of the world that I should be holy and unblameable before Him in love having predestinated me Eph. 1. 4 5. unto the adoption of a Child by Jesus Christ unto Himself according to the good pleasure of His will and hath entered into Covenant with me and so Ezek. 16. 8. hath made me to become His own And that not for any foreseen faith or works in me but according to the election of Grace He loved me because he loved Rom. 11. 5. me and He had compassion upon me because He had compassion upon me Oh Rom. 9. 15. the good Will of Him that dwelt in the Deut. 33. 16. Bush There is a mutual promise and obligation between God and me and all
baptized into His death Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for it thâ—â— He might sanctifie and cleanse it by the Eph. 5. 25 26. washing of water through the word The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from 1 Joh. 1. 7. all sin As the filthiness of the body is washed away with water so we are purged from our sins by the blood and spirit of Christ Ye are washed ye are sanctified 1 Cor. 6. 11. ye are justified in the Name of the Lorâ— Jesus and by the Spirit of our God That inward washing is made or done both by the blood and by the spirit of Christ 1. Washing through the blood oâ— Christ is Justification So we have it Acts 22. 16 Arise and be baptized calling on the name of the Lord. 2. Washing through the spirit is regeneration when we are by the Holy Spirit regenerated or born again to a new life 1 Cor. 6. 11. Thus far of the action of the Minister now to speak of the action of him or her baptized Every faithful person that is baptized receiveth the outward Baptism of water that there may be signified and sealed up unto him that he is assuredly washed from his sins by the blood and spirit of Christ as surely as his body is sprinkled or washed with water Then will I Ezek. 36. 25. sprinkle said the Lord clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthinesses and from all your Idols I will cleanse you To be washed with the blood and spirit of Christ signifieth to be made partakers of the Covenant of Grace namely to be reconciled to God justified regenerated adopted to be the Son or Child of God and to be endowed with the freedom of the Sons of God All are washed with water but believers only by the blood and spirit of Christ Therefore not all that are baptized receive remission of sins and regeneration but the believers only For without a man have his name in the Covenant the seal set to it confirms nothing unto him To the receiving of the Sacrament as very worthily it is in our Liturgy there must be adjoyned thanksgiving which is presently performed by every person that is baptized if he be adult or of years of discretion or by the witnesses in his stead if he be an infant who when he comes to years of discretion all his life long ought to be thankful unto God for this benefit Q. What are the ends of Baptism A. Especially these four 1. To be a seal to us of our receiving into the Covenant of Grace and fellowship with Christ and His Church 2. By the outward washing to represent and confirm to us the inward cleansing of our Souls which standeth in justification and regeneration Eph. 5. 26. So in this sence Baptism as it is 1 Pet. 3. 21. is said to save us because it sealeth unto us eternal salvation 3. To mind us of repentance and reforming our lives for we are baptized with water unto repentance Mat. 3. 11. 4. To be sealed to the certain hope of resurrection and of an eternal blessed life In Baptism Original sin is washed and taken away especially as concerning the guilt that is to say the fault and the punishment there remaining notwithstanding the vitiation and the sickness namely wicked lusts and inclination to evil and that to this end that we might all our life long fight against sin and the Devil who is the Author of sin But the Papists say that by Baptism rightly administred not only the guiltiness but also the corruption of Original sin is so washed away as that it is not afterward properly accounted a sin But we contrarily distinguish thus of sin sin in regard of the guiltiness or obnoxiousness to the wrath of God and also in regard of the punishment together by one act is taken away in Baptism But in regard of that error and corruption of Nature it is not at the first wholly taken away but successively and by little and little or by degrees it is extinguished even as our renovation or renewing by the Holy Ghost is by little and little begun increased and carried on in us And this we evince by these four reasons 1. Else St. Paul would not so greatly bewail his Original sin if after Baptism it ceased to be a sin when-as he cryed out O miserable man that I am who shall Rom. 7. 23 24. deliver me from the body of this deathâ— I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members 2. Original sin is called a sin exceeding or out of measure sinful and a sin that hangeth fast on or easily encompasseth Rom. 7. 13. us about Heb. 12. 1. 3. Concupiscence is the root of actual sin and therefore after Baptism it must needs properly be a sin 4. Unless that concupiscence were a sin where would or could be that vehement and hot combate between the flesh and the spirit for the flesh lusteth against Gal. 5. 17. the spirit and the spirit against the â—lesh and these are contrary the one to the other Q. Why was Christ baptized what could Baptism signifie or seal unto Him He had no sin to wash away A. â— That He might fulfil all righteousness that is for us and on our behalf Mat. 3. 15. 2. That He might in His own person commend and confirm Baptism against all those who so debase and decry it 3. That He might sanctifie our Baptism in Himself 4. That by Baptism we might know Him to have entered into His office and the execution of it Q. How doth Baptism belong to Infants and how are they capable of performing the conditions required A. I have perused the learned Exercitations of Mr. John Tombes B. D. formerly a Cotemporary with me in Magdalen-Hall who is the best and most learned of that opinion and perswasion who hath many arguments against Infant Baptism which require a large volume particularly to answer I shall therefore only lay down some argument to assert the laudable use of the Churches Infant-Baptism which do fully convince and satisfie me and I suppose by God's blessing on serious meditation and consideration may satisfie those which will not wilfully close their eyes against the truth Arguments 1. Because Infants are comprehended in the Covenant of the Grace of God and therefore both the faith of the Parents themselves and also of the Church 1 Cor. 7. 14. is confirmed by this sign that God will be the God and Saviour as of the faithful Parents so of their seed and children which promise of His He at His good Rom. 8. 29 30. Tit. 3. 5. time performeth in His elect 2. Because to them belongeth also the promise of forgiveness of sins through the blood of Christ 3. Because they belong to the Church of God 4. Because they are redeemed by the blood of
Baptism are the Sacrament of our reception and entrance into the Church Q. Wherein do Circumcision and Baptism differ A. 1. In the Rite or Ceremony which is not the same in Baptism as in Circumcision for in Baptism is only a washing but in Circumcision a cutting off the foreakin of the flesh 2. In the circumstance of the sex or age Circumcision belonged only to Males and at eight days old Baptism belongs to both sexes Male and Female and presently after they are born 3. In the manner of signifying Circumcision on God's part promised Grace through the Messiah to come but Baptism through Christ already come And on their part they being Circumcised were received into Grace by believing on the Messiah to come but we through faith in Him already come 4. In the particular promise Circumcision had also the promise of corporal blessings as of the land of Canaan c. But Baptism hath no such special promise of any temporal benefit 5. In the manner of obliging Circumcision on their part obliged them to the keeping of the whole Law Ceremonial Judicial and Moral but Baptism obligeth us only to the keeping of the Moral Law that is to faith and repentance 6. In the objects and duration Circumcision was commanded to the posterity of Abraham only and the Proselytes and was to endure but till the coming of Christ Baptism is instituted for all Nations that will come into the society of the Church and to endure to the end of the world To close up all with these few heads Aphorisms about Baptism 1. Baptism avails though administred by a contemptible person as much as if it were administred by an Apostle for if Baptism were in the merit or worth of the Minister then it did not belong unto Christ 2. The power of baptizing the Lord hath reserved to Himself it is Christ alone that baptizes with the Holy Ghost the applying of the outward Element Christ hath committed to His Ministers lawfully called and deputed 3. Baptism is the same as He is by whose power and authority it is administred Not as He is by whom it is performed 4. Every true believer in Baptism is made a King and a Priest and Prophet Rev. 1. 5. Christ washes us from our sins in His own blood and so makes us Kings and Priests unto God and His Father So St. Crysostome When as Christ hath washed us from our sins in the laver of Baptism by His blood He makes us Kings and Priests unto God Baptism as we have seen is a high Ordinance of God and a means whereby He hath appointed to communicate Christ and His benefits to our Souls and therefore not to be neglected or slightly esteemed but used with all reverence and thankful devotion when it may be had Yet where God denyeth it either in regard of the shortness of the Infants life or by any other unavoidable necessity there comes no danger from the want of Sacraments but only from the contempt of them The right use of Baptism is when inwardly in thy heart thou feelest some motion to sin through thy lusts then meditate on that solemn vow thou madest to God in thy Baptism And if by infirmity thou fallest once or oftner into some sin still have recourse to Baptism that thy Soul may be encouraged therehence For although Baptism be but once administred yet that once testifieth that all mans sins past present or to come are washed away 1 Pet. 3. 21. Eph. 5. 25 26 27. And never rest before thou hast a feeling of that renewing power signified in Baptism namely the power of Christ's death Mortifying sin and the virtue of His resurrection in the renewing of the Spirit EXERCITATION THE THIRD Of the Lords Supper the second Sacrament of the New Testament IT hath several appellations it is called 1. The Lord's Supper or Caena Domini from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Communis caena vocatur à communione vescentium For seorsim prandebant prisci Romani sed cum amicis caenabant About Supper-time the Jews were to eat the Paschal Lamb which circumstance of time the Church hath changed according to the liberty in these things she hath It is called the Lord's Supper because our Lord Jesus Christ sitting at His last Supper ordained it instead of the Passeover 2. It is called the Table of the Lord 1 Cor. 10. 21. 3. A convention of the Church 1 Cor. 11. 20 33 When ye meet together in one place c. And When ye come together to eat 4. The Eucharist because of the usual Thanksgiving 5. A Sacrifice so it was called by the ancient Fathers non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aut meritorium not a propitiatory or meritorious Sacrifice as the Papists would have it but an Eucharistical Sacrifice because it is a solemn commemoration and celebration of the propitiatory Sacrifice of Christ 6. At length it was called Missa from the offerings sent by the rich to the relief of the Poor or from a dismission of the Congregation after the publick Ordinances But we retaining the appellation or name delivered in Scripture call it the Supper of the Lord. There are many detestable and abominable differences between the Lord's Supper and the Popish Mass which I think not fit here to recite as not at all for edification I define the Lords Supper thus The instituted and commanded distribution of Bread and Wine by Christ Himself in which Christ is certainly promised to me and all true believers Or thus The Lord's Supper is the distributing and taking of Bread and Wine commanded by Christ to all true believers that He might testifie by these tokens that He gave His body to death for us and shed His blood and that He gave us these to eat and drink to assure us that He will dwell in us and nourish and quicken us to eternal life First He assures and seals that He gave His body for us upon the Cross and that His blood was as truly shed for us as we see with our eyes the bread to be broken for us and the cup to be given to us Next that He by that His body Crucified and by that His blood poured out will as certainly nourish our Souls to eternal life as surely as our bodies are fed by Bread and Wine taken from the hand of the Minister which are reached forth unto us as seals and pledges of the body and blood of Christ The Rites or Signs here are the Bread broken and eaten the Wine distributed and taken or the breaking and distributing of the Bread the distributing and drinking of the Wine The things signified are the body of Christ Crucified and the blood of Christ poured out the eating and drinking of them signifie our union with Christ by faith whereby we being made partakers of Him and all His benefits from Him as branches from a Vine do suck and draw eternal life or nourishment to eternal life Of this our union and communion with Christ
name of the thing signified by a Sacramental Metonymie is given to the sign So the words of Christ must be understood Sacramentally the Bread is called the body of Christ because it is the sign of the body of Christ and the Cup or the Wine in the Cup is called the blood of Christ because it is the sign of the blood of Christ And the Cup is called the New Testament because it is the sign of the New Testament So the true sence and meaning of Christ's words This is my body which is given for you is thus This Bread which is broken by Me and given to you is a sign of My body which is given to death for you and is a certain sign of your conjunction and union with Me so that he that believeth and eateth this bread he doth truly feed on My body But according to that impious fiction of the Popish transubstantiation many absurdities follow As 1. Christ brake bread not His body therefore the bread is not really the body of Christ 2. The body of Christ is given for us and not bread therefore bread is not really the body of Christ 3. Christ did not say under these species is My body or My body is contained under these species therefore Papists pervert Christ's words and keep not to the institution 4. Christ said not of bread let this be made My body but this is My body 5. Notwithstanding their transubstantiation the bread is neither annihilated nor changed into the substance of a body but remaineth bread still 6. In every Sacrament there are two things the sign and the thing signified but transubstantiation taketh away the sign namely Bread and Wine therefore it doth wholly overthrow the Sacrament 7. Transubstantiation takes away the analogy between the sign and the thing signified But no more of this I will only add four Reasons against the carnal or corporal presence of Christ in the Sacrament Reason 1 If the bread were turned into Christ's body then there would be two Christs one that giveth and one that is given for our Saviour gave the bread c. Reason 2 If the bread be the very body of Christ there would then be no more sign of the thing signified and so no Rom. 4. 11. Sacrament Reason 3 Then the wicked receiver might eat and drink Christs body and blood as well as the true believer Reason 4 The Minister cannot give the inward Grace but the outward elements only in the administration of the Sacrament There is another gross error also of Consubstantiation Consubstantiation is a coexistency of two substances in the same place or the presence of the body and blood of Christ not under the species of Bread and Wine but under the very Bread and Wine Luther was of this opinion that it remained bread still but under in or with the bread is the body of Christ And this is the common tenent and opinion of those who this day are called Lutherans Against this these few reasons may suffice 1. The whole action of the Lord's Supper is done in remembrance of Christ what need have we of that if Christ's body were really present either under with or in the elements 2. Christ's body is in Heaven and the Heavens must receive Him until the times of restitution of all things Acts 3. 21. 3. This is an essential property of every magnitude and therefore of Christ's body also to be in one place and circumscribed or encompassed of one place 4. If Christ's body were eaten corporally then the wicked as well as the Godly partake of the flesh of Christ but to eat His flesh is to believe in Him and to have eternal life 5. It is absurd to think that Christ sitting with His disciples did with His own hands take His own body and give it wholly to every one of His Disciples This is the Sacrament not of the living or of the glorious body of Christ but of His suffering and crucified body So Christ said This is My body which is given for you it is the Sacrament of Christ's body delivered unto death for us And that these two ways 1. It is a visible sign bringing to our remembrance or representing to us the body of Christ that as with our bodily eyes we see the bread of the Lord so with the eyes of our Soul we may see Christ's body crucified for us 2. It is a seal sealing to our faith that Christ's body was certainly delivered to death for us and is become the bread of life unto us We must not therefore seek Christ's body in the earthly element but by faith lift up our hearts to Heaven whither Christ ascended and where He is So in our Liturgy at the celebration of this Supper we are admonished to lift up our hearts Now let us come to speak of the outward actions both of the Minister and also of the Receivers 1. The actions of the Minister are these four 1. To take the Bread and Wine into his hands and to separate it from ordinary Bread and Wine Which is to signifie to us that God in His eternal decree separated Christ to be our Mediator and that He was set apart for this office Him hath God the Father sealed 2. To bless and consecrate the Bread and Wine by the Word and Prayer Which signifies to us that God in His due time sent Christ into the world and sanctified Him furnishing Him with all gifts needful for a Mediator 3. To break the Bread and pour out the Wine Which signifies the passions and sufferings of Christ with all the torments which He endured both in soul and body for our sins 4. To give and distribute the Bread and Wine to the receivers which signifies that God gave Christ and that Christ gave Himself to us and that whole Christ and all His merits are freely offered to all sorts of receivers And that God hath given Christ to the faithful receivers to feed their souls unto eternal life Joh. 3. 14 15. Joh. 6. 50 51. 2. Next we come to the Sacramental actions of the receivers and they are these two 1. To take the Bread and Wine offered by the Minister every one into his or her hand This signifies his taking and laying hold of Christ freely offered from God the Father by the hand of faith Joh. 1. 12. Or the receiving of Christ with all His benefits into his soul by faith They and they only have benefit by Christ crucified which thus apply Christ to themselves by a true and lively faith To as many as thus receive Him to them gives He power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on His name 2. To eat the Bread and drink the Wine receiving them into the body and digesting them And this signifies our uniting to Christ and enjoying of 1 Cor. 11. 26. Him or our application of Christ by faith that the feeling of our true union and communion with Christ may be increased We
we may and should remember yet God would have a solemn standing Ordinance in His Church for the commemoration and shewing of it forth which Ordinance is this of the Lord's Supper This must be our actual exercise at the time of our eating and drinking at this Holy Table to shew forth the Lord's death The death of Christ then must fill our eyes ears lips and thoughts If any of us could see Christ dying that sight would take us up Here we come as near to see Him dying as can be represented unto us Here Christ is Crucified before our eyes Thus much Gal. 3. 1. for the second part which is a Christian heedfulness in the act of receiving Now of the third and last part a thankful close and shutting up this our duty in this Ordinance 1. By joyful thanksgiving with Prayers 2. Meditation how we are bettered what increase we find of our faith in Christ love to God and all His Saints what strength and power we have gotten against sin lust and corruption what new obedience we shew forth in our lives and what increase and confiâ—ming we find of all other sanctifying and saving Graces in us to help us to lead new lives and to run the ways of all God's Commandments with more strength and alacrity than formerly This do in remembrance of me This is a solemn Memorial instituted by Christ Himself Great Deliverances or Mercies have solemn commemorations Such was the Passeover and the Feast of Purim c. among the Jews Christ did not ordain it for His Nativity Circumcision Ascension c. though all these were for us and our Redemption but in remembrance of His death hereby we shew the Lord's death Because our sins are done away by His death therein in His death was made the Sacrifice of atonement Redemption and Reconciliation was made thereby the Covenant confirmed the justice of God satisfied and everlasting life procured c. 1. Let us make this thankful remembrance to and within our selves what fruit and benefit we receive from Christ and the torments and pains He endured for us both in His blessed body and soul nay His Soul-pains were the sole or chief of all His pains Do not these deserve a thankful remembrance 2. We make this remembrance to others to all the world by our solemn profession of Christ and His death to which we stick for remission of sins and acceptation with God 3. We make this remembrance to God that Christ by His death hath satisfied God's justice and hath made peace through the blood of His Cross Who shall therefore lay any thing to the Col. 1. 20. charge of Gods elect it is Christ that dyed for us c. Rom. 8. 34. I close up with the Allegory of the Paschal Lamb and Christ how the type and anti-type or the thing signified fitly answer and agree in these thirteen things 1. It must be a lamb of the flock so Christ was true man Joh. 1. 14. 2. A Lamb without blemish so Christ was without sin 3. To be killed and roasted with fire to shew the bitter death and passion of Christ 4. A bone of it must not be broken so Christ had not a bone broken Joh. 19. 36. 5. It must be in the evening so Christ suffered in the end of the world Heb. 1. 2. and 9. 26. 6. The posts were to be sprinkled with the blood so Christ's blood is sprinkled on our Consciences and His satisfaction is imputed to us Rom. 3. Isai 53. 6. 7. Seeing the blood the destroying Angel passed over and they were preserved from death so Christ by his blood frees us from everlasting death 8. The Lamb was to be eaten and in every family so Christ by faith is to be applyed by every believer 9. The Lamb was to be roasted whole his head legs appurtenances so whole Christ is to be received and wholly according to all the articles of our faith 2 Tim. 3. 7. 10. Without leaven that is without hypocrisie 11. It must be eaten with bitter herbs with true repentance and bitter grief for sin which caused that bitter passion of Christ He that will be Christ's Disciple must take up the Cross 12. It must be eaten hastily and with their staves in their hands after the fashion of strangers to shew that we are Pilgrims here and travailing to our heavenly countrey have need of such a Viaticum in the way 13. Only Circumcised to eat thereof So only the regenerate feed on Christ by faith and Christ is profitable only unto them Some Sentences 1. Our Union and Communion with Christ doth not mingle the persons nor unite the substances but it consociates our affections and confederates our wills 2. This is to eat that bread and drink that cup to abide in Christ and to have Christ abiding in thee And hereby it follows that he that abides not in Christ nor Christ in him doth not spiritually eat of this bread and drink of this cup although carnally and visibly he eateth of the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ 3. To believe in Christ is to eat that bread of life He that believeth in Christ feedeth upon Him and is invisibly fatted by Him because he is invisibly regenerated 4. Believers only eat the bread the Lord wicked men who are against Christ in their practises may eat the bread of the Lord. 5. All Glory to God and Salvation to Men is placed in the death and passion of the Lord Jesus Christ EXERCITATION THE FOURTH Ecclesiastes 12. 13. Fear God The whole Verse runs thus Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter Fear God and keep His Commandments for this is the whole duty of Man THe meaning is thus as if King Solomon had said the whole subject of this Book of Ecclesiastes is summarily comprehended in this point that man should lead his life in the fear of God and in holy obedience unto Him So that after this life he may enjoy everlasting blessedness and happiness in Him Now the fear of God is commanded in the first Commandment the scope and meaning of the first Commandment is thus that Jehovah one in Substance and three in Persons the Creator and Governour of all things and the Redeemer of His people is to be entertained for the only true God in all the powers of our soul And that the inward Mat. 22. 37. Prov. 23. 26. Deut. 5. 29. Prov. 4. 23. Mat. 12. 35. and spiritual worship of the heart wherein God especially delighteth and which is the ground of the outward worship may be given to Him and none other and that sincerely without hypocrisie as in His sight who searcheth Jer. 17. 10. and knoweth the heart For this word before Me or before My face noteth that inward entertainment and worship whereof God alone doth take notice And thereby God sheweth that He condemneth as well the corrupt thoughts of mans heart concerning His Majesty as the wicked practise of
back and that they had cast away the Law There is no fear Isai 5. 24. Psal 36. 1. of God before their eyes Like the unjust Judge who neither feared God nor regarded man We may have cause to Luk. 18. 2. fear such as Abraham said of the Philistins at Gerar Because I thought that Gen. 20 11. 1 Sam. 21. 10 23. 26. the fear of God is not in this place and they will slay me for my wifes sake So David fled for fear of Saul There are many acceptations of fear in Scripture 1. It is taken for natural fear which is a certain natural affection whereby men are stricken by reason of some natural or hurtful evil either true or imagined So Jacob said of his brother Gen. 32. 11. Esau I fear him lest he will come and smite me and the mothers with the children So the City of Jericho feared because of Israel So Peter being on the Josh 2. 9 11. Mat. 14. 30. 28. 4. Sea when he saw the wind boysterous was afraid and cryed out c. This natural fear is in it self neither good nor evil It was in Christ Himself as He was man It becomes evil and sinful Heb. 5. 7. Mark 14. 33. when distrust is mixed with it 2. There is a free voluntary fear and reverence which inferiours shew to their superiours making them careful to obey and loth to offend and that for the Lord's sake Let the wise see Eph. 5. 33. that she reverence her husband but the word in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that she fear her husband So render to all their due fear to whom fear Rom. 13. ◠belongeth 3. Fear sometimes in Scripture is taken for the thing or danger feared the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me said Job and that which I was Job 3. 25. Prov. 1. 27. afraid of is come unto me When their fear cometh as desolation c. that is when that which they feared cometh c. 4. For the person which is feared In this sence God is called the fear of Isaac So Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac that is by God whom Isaac Gen. 31. 42 53. feared a Metonymie 5. Fear in Scripture sometime is taken for an holy affection of the heart awing us and making us loth to displease God by sin in respect of His great goodness and mercies and for a love we bear to righteousness There is mercy Psal 130. 4. with Thee that Thou mayest be feared This is a filial or child-like fear spoken of before The Godly are commanded Job 1. 2. Acts 10. 2. thus to fear and are commended for it so is Job and so Cornelius that they feared God 6. For a terrour in the heart of wicked men fearing God as a Judge being loth to offend Him by sin in regard of His punishments and not from any hatred of wickedness Thus Felix trembled Acts 24. 25. and feared This is servile and slavish fear spoken of also before 7. Fear is taken for the whole worship of God Thou shalt fear the Lord. In every nation he that feareth God and Deut. 6. 13. Acts 10. 35. Prov. 1. 7. Psal 112. 1. 128. 1. worketh righteousness is accepted of Him Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord where is a Synechdoche of the part for the whole For where the fear of God is truly planted there will follow the whole worship of God 8. To think upon dangerous things which breed fear So thine heart shall Isai 33. 18. meditate fear 9. For a great terrour and fear from God which was sent on the hearts of the men of those Cities of the Canaanites that they pursued not after the sons of Gen. 35. 5. Jacob to slay them And the fear of 2 Chr. 17. 10. God was upon those cities round about them c. Thus we see the several significations and acceptations of fear in Scripture and also what the true fear of God is which is whereby we so fear and reverence His holy Majesty and His Word that we take heed by all means of offending so gracious a Father not so much for fear of punishment as out of true love to God Several encouragements out of Scripture to fear God 1. God wisheth it Oh that they would fear Me that it may be Deut. 5. 29. well with them and with their children and for their good alwayes 6. 24. 2. The secret of the Lord is with them Psal 25. 14. that fear Him and He will shew them His Covenant He will teach them 119. 102. 3. There is no want to them that fear Him The young lyons shall lack and Psal 34. 9 10. suffer hunger but they that fear the Lord shall lack no good thing 33. 18 19. Prov. 22. 4. By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches honour and life There is Psal 11 1. 5. 112. 1 2. Prov. 15. 16. Psal 61. 5. a special heritage belongs to those that fear God therefore David said Thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear Thy name That is as these present so also eternal good things which properly belong to God's Children wherein they of the world have no part at all 4. The Lord is nigh them that fear Psal 85. 9. Him And blessed are they to whom the Lord is nigh to hear and help Moses described the happiness of Israel herein and said What nation is there so great Deut. 4. 7. who hath the Lord so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is to us in all things that we call upon Him for Surely His salvation is nigh them that Psal 85. 9. fear Him c. In the fear of the Lord is strong considence Prov. 14. 26. and his children shall have a place of resuge The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting Psal 103. 11 to everlasting on them that fear Him c. He will fulsil the desire of them that 145. 19. fear Him He also will hear their cry and save them For the Lord taketh pleasure in them 147. 11. that fear Him in those that hope in His mercy The fear of the Lord prolongeth days Prov. 10. 27. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of 14. 27. life to depart from the snares of death The fear of the Lord tendeth to life 19. 23. and he that hath it shall be satisfied To you that fear My name shall the Mal. 4. 2. Sun of righteousness arise with healing in His wings c. His mercy is on them that fear him Luk. 1. 50. from generation to generation Who is among you that feareth the Isai 50. 10. Lord that obeyeth the voice of His servant that walketh in darkness and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon His God
In every nation he that feareth God Act. 10. 35. and worketh righteousness is accepted of him To whomsoever feareth God the word 13. 26. of salvation is sent ENCOMIUMS or Praises of the fear of God Behold the fear of the Lord that is Job 28. 28. wisdom and to depart from evil is understanding The fear of the Lord is clean enduring Psal 19. 9. for ever That is the rule of His fear and of all true Religion contained in His Word is pure and clean and it cleanseth and purifieth us it is invariable and incorruptible and produceth the effect of eternal life in them that observe it The fear of the Lord is the beginning Psal 111. 10. of wisdom that is the fear of the Lord is the foundation as well as beginning of wisdom The Lord taketh pleasure in them that 147. 11. fear Him c. The fear of the Lord is the beginning Prov. 1. 7. of knowledg beginning is the chief point or sum of knowledg The fear of the Lord is to hate evil c. 8. 13. that is he that hath the true knowledg and fear of God in his heart it will make him hate sin which is so hateful unto God The fear of the Lord is a fountain of 14. 27. life to depart from the snares of death The fear of the Lord is the instruction 15. 33. of wisdom that is the fear of the Lord is the best and only means to have our hearts framed to receive true wisdom By the fear of the Lord men depart 16. 6. from evil that is they that truly fear God will not willingly run into sin but say with Joseph How can I do this wickedness Gen. 39. 9. and sin against God And this fear of God was a curb to Joseph when he dealt roughly with his brethren when he had cast them into Prison on the third day he brought them Gen 42. 18. out and said this do and live for I fear God So let this fear of God be always before our eyes as a spur to every good duty and a bar against all sin and wickedness Happy is the man that feareth always Prov. 28. 14. that is through the awful respect he hath to God's glorious Majesty fearing to offend Him and being no ways confident of himself that doth so always and at all times it is a special preservative against sin and so happy is that man A man or woman that so feareth the Prov. 31. 30. Lord shall be praised God is greatly to Psal 89. 7. be feared in the assembly of the Saints and to be had in reverence of all that are about Him God is to be feared above all gods 96. 4. Let us therefore strive as good Obadiah though in the Court of wicked Ahab to fear the Lord from our youth 1 King 18. 3 12. and to fear Him greatly And as Cornelius that religious Captain who feared Acts 10. 2. God with all his house to be faithful Nehem. 7. 2. men and to fear God above many Passing the time of our sojourning here in 1 Pet. 1. 17. fear in carefulness to please God fearing lest we should offend Him Surely I know that it shall be well with Eccles 8. 12. them that fear God which fear before Him David could not express it but breaks Psal 31. 19. out in admiration of it Oh how great is Thy goodness which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee which Thou hast wrought for them that trust in Thee before the sons of men Let us therefore sanctifie the Lord of Isai 8. 13. hosts Himself and let Him be our fear and let Him be our dread Whâ— shall not fear Thee O Lord and Rev. 15. 4. glorifie Thy name for Thou only art holy for all nations shall come and worship before Thee for Thy judgments are made manifest Q. But what fear may Saints have in the Service of God A. 1. There may be a fear of God's wrath they may have apprehensions of Psal 6. 2 3. God's heavy displeasure the hot displeasure of God's wrath may even vex their bones and cause their soul to be sore vexed They may conceive themselves Psal 13. 1. forgotten of God and that God doth hide His face from them to have their soul pained within them and horrour to overwhelm them and think 55. 4 5. Cant. 5. 6. that Christ may with-draw Himself and be gone in regard of any comfortable and sensible enjoyment of His fellowship which they have 2. There may be a great fear even of performing holy Duties they may be startled not dare adventure upon sâ—ch holy performances without much shame of Spirit and holy reluctancy as Ezra said I am ashamed and blush to Ezra 9. 6. lift up my face to Thee O my God for our iniquities are increâ—sed over our heads and our trespass is grown up unto the hâ—â—vens And with the poor woman Mark 5. 33. in the Gospel who came fearing and trembling and fell down before Christ And yet the Saints never depart or fall away from that assured confidence they have conceived of the mercies of God though they have a continual strife with their own distrustfulness In all these assaults faith upholds the Godly and is like to a Palm-tree endeavouring to rise up against all burdens how great soever they may be He that striving with his own weakness resorts to faith in his troubles is already in a manner a Conquerour So David checks his own heart Why art thou cast down O my soul Why art thou thus disquieted within me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise Him Psal 42. 11. who is the health of my countenance and my God And wait on the Lord be of 27. 14. good courage and He shall strengthen 39. 2. thine heart and so he iterates it wait I say on the Lord. Sometimes the Saints may become even dumb with silence as though their faith were utterly overthrown yet they faint not but proceed in the Battel and by Faith and Prayer do still encourage themselves in God who at length will come in with the saving strength of His own right hand Psal 20. 6. There is great difference between the fears of the Godly and of the wicked The fear of the wicked ariseth out of the evidences of the guilt of sin but the fear of the Godly from a tender apprehension of the greatness goodness holiness and Majesty of God and His most pure eyes which cannot endure Habb 1. 13. to behold iniquity but with indignation and out of a deep sence of their own vileness and unworthiness to meddle with holy things But yet this fear in the Saints never brings any dislike or hatred of God or any wilful disobedience against Him For as the fear of the soul deters so the necessity of the
virtue not fainting under affliction but constantly waiting for God's promised help and succour knowing that better things are reserved for us So we must not sink in our courage nor shrink from our burden and then we shall both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So said the Apostle Ye have need of patience Heb. 10. 36. that after ye have done the Will of God ye may receive the promise There is another word in the New Testament used also for expectation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an earnest expectation with Rom. 8. 19. holding up the head stretching out the neck lifting up the eyes with an earnest intention and observation to see when the person or thing shall appear And one word more is used for expectation namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But no more of this now The same word in the Sâ—ptuagint is in Psal 130. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have waited upon or for thee O Lord my soul doth wait c. Q. What are the signs of our true waiting upon God A. 1. If it râ—st on the Grace of God alone and His free promises 2. If it breed in us a care in all things 1 Pet. 1. 13. to please God Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as He is 1 Joh. 3. 3. purâ—â— 3. If it perswade us diligently to use the means ordained of God and â—eb 10. 23 24 25. to abstain from all others which are not lawful and He hath not appointed 4. If we depend not on those means but on God alone working by and through them And so in thus doing Esth 4. 13. we may chearfully go about our duty imposed on us by God that according to our earnest expectation and our hope Phil. 1. 20. in nothing we shall be ashamed c. Q. By what means our hearts may be confirmed and strengthened against troubles A. 1. By fervency of spirit or zeal that others may take notice of us that we have been with Jesus Acts 4. 13. we have been with Jesus 2. By a true confidence in God alone So if we commit our works unto the Prov. 16. 3. Lord our thoughts shall be established If we cast our burden upon the Lord He will sustain us He will never suffer the Psal 55. 22. righteous to be moved And the Lord Isai 58. 11. will guide thee continually and satisfie thy soul in drought and make fat thy bones and thou shalt be like a watered garden and like a spring of water whose waters fail not 3. By faithful and fervent Prayers commending and committing all our affairs unto God In every thing by prayer Phil. 4 6. and supplication with thanks-giving let our requests be made known unto God 4 By a sound judgment of those troubles wherewith we are assailed For sometimes many of them are meerly to be contemned as the foolish speeches of vain men and women c. And sometimes they are meer fopperies which when we have weighed them in the ballance of a clear judgment do presently vanish away and always are such that if they are duly compared with the dignity of our place and Christian Calling with the fruits and necessity of them they signifie nothing at all Our waiting and hope is confirmed and increased by all those Arguments whereby we may be made more certain that that good thing waited and hoped for doth belong unto us So experience worketh hope and hope maketh not Rom. 5. 4. ashamed This Hope is a virtue whereby we expect all good things from God and patiently wait for all things that we need at His hands resting in the Lord and waiting patiently for Him not only â—â—â— 37. 7. when we have the means but also when 〈◊〉 3. 17. we want all apparent means yâ—a and when the means seem contrary As the three Children answered Nebuchadnezar Our God whom we serve is able to deliver Dan. 3. 17. us from the burning fiery furnace and He will deliver us out of thine hand O King but if not be it known unto thee O King that we will not serve thy gods nor worship thy golden Image which thou hast set up 1. Wait believingly The vision is yet Habb 2. 3 4. for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lye though it tarry wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry The just must live by faith He that cannot believe cannot live Behold the husbandman waiteth Jam. 5. 7. for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it c. Let us learn of the husbandman and from the constant experience and observation of God's providence towards us learn to wait upon God For light is sown for Psal 97. 11. the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart Therefore will we not fear though the Psal 46. 2. earth be removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea For this God is our God for ever and ever Psal 48. 14. He will be our guide even unto death I had verily fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the Psal 27. 13 14. land of the living wait on the Lord be of good courage and He shall strengthen thine heart wait I say on the Lord. 2. Wait patiently For the patient expectation of God's poor Servants shall not perish for ever He that believeth Psal 9. 18. Isai 28. 16. makes not haste If we wait upon God by saving faith and an holy recumbency of spirit we will willingly wait for deliverance or supply and will not make haste to rid our selves out of such or such a calamity or use any indirect or unlawful means so to do In returning and rest shall we be saved in quietness Isai 30. 15. and in confidence shall be our strength Foolish men and women in the impatiency of their spirits do sin against God and their own arguments and reasons and do sin away those mercies which else would come unto them David was in a holy temper of spirit in his affliction which he reports to us for our imitation These things were our examples 1 Cor. 10. 6. 11. and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come David said I waited patiently Psal 69. 3. upon the Lord. How long did he wait even until he cryed himself weary his throat dry and his eyes dim I am weary of my crying said he my throat is dryed mine eyes fail while I wait for my God Oh invincible patience unconquerable expectation and he lost nothing by it for so it followeth and He enclined unto me and Psal 40. 2. heard my cry c. The Apostle advises us Let patience have its perfect work that ye may be Jam. 1. 4. perfect and entire lacking nothing till all our Graces are tryed and
God hath sifted us fully if we will meekly and patiently depend upon Him and holily and humbly wait till He send deliverance There is a work of patience it must not be an idle patience but a patience working in the use of all lawful means And there is also a perfect work to bear a very heavy burden and a long time and that with patience this doth shew that patience hath had its perfect work Be we patient stablish our hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth Jam. 5. 8. nigh that is not in the general judgment at the last day but in this or that particular mercy or deliverance out of such a streight tryal or affliction Shall not God avenge His own elect which cry day and night unto Him though He bear long with them I tell you saith our Saviour He will avenge Luk. 18. 7 8. them and that speedily that is when God's good time is come Nevertheless when the Son of man shall come shall He find faith on the Earth the meaning is that God oftentimes deferreth such or such a mercy or deliverance until we are even weary of waiting our hope lost our faith even spent and so our extremity God takes for His opportunity then is Gods time to work then mercies will be most sweet then most refreshing Every thing is beautiful in Eccles 3. 11. its time 3. Wait diligently Stir up thy self to take hold on God waiting is no idle posture or sitting still Engage thy Isai 64. 7. Jer. 30. 21. heart to approach unto God Consider that the blessing doth not consist in the removal of an affliction but in the sanctified use of it And therefore blessed is the man whom thou chastenest Psal 94. 12. O Lord and teachest him in thy Law When instruction and correction go together that is a blessed and happy correction Labour therefore for a sanctified use of every affliction to be purged and purified thereby Give aâ— â— Pet. 1. 10. diligence to make thy calling and election sure Keep thy heart with all diligence Prov. 4. 23. Heb. 6. 12. And shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end Looking Heb. 12. 15. diligently lest we fail of the Grace of God So let us be diligent in our waiting that we may be found of God in peace 2 Pet. 3. 14. without spot and blameless I wait for the Lord my Soul doth Psal 130. 5. wait and in His word do I hope God will have us to wait until He come and rain righteousness upon us Oh how Hos 10. 12. doth our blessed Saviour wait upon us standing at the door of our hearts and knocking saying Open to Me My Sister Rev. 3. 20. My love My dove My undefiled Cant. 5. 2. and so woes us for to let Him come into our hearts and we wickedly shut the door of our hearts against Him and refuse His offers of Grace and Mercy and put Him off with delays yet He stands still and knocks and waits till His head is filled with dew and His locks with the drops of the night And He hath sent forth His Ministers also to wooe for Him and to pray us in 2 Cor. 5. 20. Christs stead that we would be reconciled unto God We know not how long God may wait for us Now is the acceptable 2 Cor. 6. 2. Heb. 3. 7. time now is the day of salvation Hear while it is called to day Lay hold on Grace while it is offered And strike while the iron is hot Remember Jerusalems case how our Saviour wept over it spake and wept wept and spake O Jerusalem Jerusalem how often would Luke 19. 41. to 44. I have gathered thy children together as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings I would but thou wouldst not therefore desolation misery and confusion followed God waited 120 years for the repentance and conversion of the old world 40 days for Nineveh God waiteth for Gen. 6. 3. Jonah 3. 4. Ezek. 18. 21. 2 Pet. 3. 9. Rom. 2. 4. poor sinners not willing that any should perish but that all should repent and live Yet they despise the riches of His goodness forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the forbearance of God should move them to repentance If we hear not while it is called to day but Heb. 3. 8. Prov. 14. 9. Prov. 23. 32. harden our hearts through unbelief and like fools make a mock of sin at length it will sting like a serpent and bite like an adder God hath His appointed time when he will wait no longer As Solomon spake of temporal things so do I of spirituals and things of everlasting concernment Man most men know not Eccles 9. 12. 8. 6 7. their appointed time therefore the misery of man is great upon earth Laesa patientia fit furor Patience abused turns into fury Now mercy is offered mercy sits at the helm Justice will have its course and that upon all those who come not in nor accept of this golden Scepter of Grace and Mercy now Rev. 6. held forth They shall have a cup of the pure wrath of the Almighty a cup of pure wrath without mixture no drop of mercy or pity more ever to be expected or hoped for Oh who knows the Psal 90. 11. Rev. 14. 10. power of God's wrath They shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation and shall be tormented with fire and brimstone c. and the smoak of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever and they have no rest day nor night c. But I have expatiated too far upon God's waiting for poor Sinners For God will have His glory magnified if His Mercy and Grace be not so in the Conversion and Salvation of poor Sinners His justice will be for ever magnified and glorified in their everlasting confusion and condemnation So God will be no loser at all But now according to the words at first read come we to man's waiting upon God My soul wait thou upon God The Lord waits that He may be gracious Isaâ— 30. 18. to us as we have seen and He will be exalted that He may have mercy upon us for the Lord is a God of judgment Blessed are all they that wait for him Jacob in the middest of blessing his Children as in an holy rapture breaks out in this pathetical expression I have waited for Thy Salvation O Lord. Gen. 49. 8. Likewise the Church O Lord be gracious unto us we have waited upon Thee Be Thou our arm every morning our Salvation Isai 33. 2. also in the time of trouble Let these examples of Saints formerly stir up and encourage us still to wait upon God yea though He seem to hide His face from us as the Church complains Verily Thou art a God that hidest Thy self Isai 45.
15. yet in faith she calls Him O God of Israel the Saviour His way is in the sea and his paths in the mighty waters and his foot-steps are not known Clouds Psal 77. 19. and darkness are round about him and yet righteousness and judgment are the Psal 97. 2. habitation of his throne God hath not said to the house of Jacob seek ye Me in Isai 45. 19. vain Be not as those wicked idolatrous Jews who said It is in vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance and walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts Although Mal. 3. 14. God rewarded their outward labours about His Service that He would not have them to shut the doors for nought nor kindle fire on His altar for nought the meanest service to go unrewarded Let us so wait as we Mal. 1. 10. ought and it will not be unrewarded Let us wait and work work and wait our labour will never be in vain in the Lord. This is our waiting and working 1 Cor. 15. 58. time our praying and seed-time we sowing in righteousness here shall reap Hos 10. 12. 2 Joh. 8. Prov. 11. 18. Psal 84. 6. Psal 126. 6. in mercy hereafter even a full reward and a sure reward He that goeth forth and weepeth in this valley of tears bearing precious seed shall doubtless come again with rejoycing bringing his sheaves with him He shall have sheafs in stead of grains even a full measure Luk. 6. 38. pressed down shaken together and running over shall be given to him For God is not unrighteous to forget our work of faith our labour of love and our patience in waiting Be not like that Heb. 6. 10 11 wicked Servant who said My Lord delayeth his coming and so fall to riotting and to be swallowed up with the pleasures and vanities of this world the Lord of that servant will come in Mat. 24. 51. â— day that he looked not for Him and in an hour when he is not aware and will cut him in peices and give him his portion with hypocrites in the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for ever Therefore be servent in spirit Rom. 12. 13. serving the Lord. Watch and pray for thou knowest not at what hour the Master of the house cometh whether at midnight or at the cock-crowing or dawning Mark 13. 35. of the day Lest coming suddenly He â—ind thee sleeping And be not weary in well-doing for in due season thou shalt Gal. 6. 9. reap if thou faint not Wait God's leisure wait His time God knows the sittest time when mercy is ripe for us when we are fit to receive such or such a mercy when we are throughly humbled and reformed when we know how to value the mercy aright how to use it how to improve it wisely and not to abuse it when our hearts are taken off from all creature-props and confidences when God hath exercised and tryed our Graces and us also to the utmost thus long God will have us to wait that the tryal of our faith being much 1 Pet. 1. 7. more precious than of gold that perisheth though it be tryed with fire might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearance of Jesus Christ Now for the word Only Wait thou only upon God For He alone is able to support us uphold and encourage us in our waiting upon Him to supply all our wants and to fulfill all our desires He will fulfil the desires Psal 145. 19 of them that fear Him He also will hear their cry and save them He alone is able to supply all our need according to His riches in glory by Phill. 4 19. Jesus Christ The word here rendered wait in the Hebrew the Original signifies is silent Which denotes my Soul is silent without any murmuring fretting or repining and so resolved to wait upon God to await His leisure His good-pleasure and blessed will and that with patience contentment and satisfaction I wholly resigning my self to Him So the word in the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies my soul subject or submit thy self wholly unto God be obedient to Him in all things run not to rest or relye upon instruments or means but wait wholly upon God 1. If thou trust on means there thou wilt fail For riches be uncertain therefore trust not in uncertain riches Hodâ—e Craesus cras Irus Job was the 1 Tim. 6. 17. richest man in the morning before night he was poor to a Proverb As poor as Job Wilt thou set thine eyes upon Prov. 23. 5. Psal 52. 7. Jer. 19 1. Zeph. 1. 18. Psal 62. 10. Isai 30. 12. Hos 10. 13. Luk. 11. 22. that which is not for riches certainly make themselves wings they fly away at an eagle towards heaven Neither our Silver nor our Gold shall be able to deliver us in the day of the Lord's wrath Trust not in oppression c. Do not trust in thine own way nor to thine own righteousness Ezek. 33. 13. nor in thine armour or weapons of war nor in thine own heart Prâ—v 28. 26. for the heart of man is deceitful above all Jer. 17. 9. things desperately wicked c. 2. If thou rest or rely on instruments or men they will fail Cursed is the Jer. 17. 5. man that trusteth in man and whose heart departeth from the Lord. A man would think if he should trust in any man surely then it is best to trust in Princes but the Lord bids us Put not Psal 146. 3 4. your trust in Princes nor in the Son of man in whom there is no help his breath goeth forth he returneth to his earth in that very day his thoughts perish Therefore trust in the Lord Prov. 3. 5. with all thine heart and lean not to thine own understanding That so thou mayst say to the Lord Thou art my goodness and my fortress my high tower and my deliverer my shield Psal 144. 2. and He in whom I trust And they that trust in the Lord and wait only upon him shall be as mount Zion which Psal 125. 1. cannot be removed but abideth for ever Thus far for the former part of the Verse My soul wait thou only upon God Now for the latter words for my expectation is from him From the sence and apprehension of the love and favour of God unto us in Christ there follows a patient enduring a confirmed hope or confidence and an undoubted expectation of mercies from God Which we describe thus to be an unwearied and perpetual continuation of the same purpose and resolution of attending upon God Or an abiding with patience and a continual looking for and expectation of help from God My expectation is from Him for temporal spiritual and everlasting mercies 1. For temporals and here 1. For Psal 104. 21. maintenance and provision The young lyons seek their meat from
God He â—ob 38. 41. feedeth the young ravens when they cry unto Him If God feed the beasts and birds surely He will not suffer the soul Prov. 10. 3. Psal 37. 10. Isai 33. 16. of His people to famish In the days of fumine they shall be satisfied Bread shall be given them their waters shall be sure And as for rayment If God cloath the grass of the field which to day is and to morrow is cast into the oven shall he not much more cloath us Mat. 6. 30 31 32. Therefore take we no thought saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink or wherewithall shall we be cloathed for our heavenly father knoweth we have need of all these things Be we diligent and industrious in our places ever using lawful means that is our part for to do But the care of provision and maintenance is God's part which we must leave to Him Who hath promised to bless our lawful and honest endeavours subservient to His holy will and command 2. As for maintenance and provision so also my Expectation from God is that as I have committed all my ways to Him and trust in Him so He will bring them Psal 37. 5. Josh 5. 9. Rom. 8. 28. all to pass for the best That he will rowl away my reproach and cause all things to work together for my good He will plead my cause and execute judgment for me He will bring me forth Micah 7. 9. to the light and I shall behold His righteousness My Redeemer is strong Jer. 50. 34. the Lord of hosts is his name He shall Isai 51. 22. throughly plead my cause for He hath stiled Himself the God that pleadeth the cause of His people The Lord God of recompences will surely requite Jer. 51. 56. My expectation is higher than these temporal things as heroically and Christianly Luther once said Lord I have sworn and am resolved that I will not be put off with these lower things or to esteem them my portion c. 2dly But my expectation is higher my expectation from God is chiefly for spiritual and everlasting mercies That Acts 26. 18. as He hath opened mine eyes and turned me from darkness to light and from the power of Sathan unto God so that I Ephes 5. 8 1â— may walk as a child of light and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them Having respect to all God's Commandments Psal 119. 8. not allowing my sell in any onâ— known sin Denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts to live soberly righteously Godlily in this present word To grow Tit. 2. 12 2 Pet. 3. 18. Joh. 1. 16. 2 Pet. 1. 10. Eph. 3. 19. in Grace and in the knowledge of my Lord Jesus that of His fulness I may receive and Grace for Grace that so may make my calling and election sure being filled with the fulness of God that he will grant me according to the riches of his glory to be strengthned with all might by his Spirit in the inneâ— man that Christ may dwell in my hearâ— by faith c. that as he who hath begun 16. 17. a good work in me will also finish Phill. 1. 6. Heb. 12. 2. it For he is the author and finisher of my faith Who is able to build me up â— Acts 20. 32. and that He will settle strengthen and stablish me in every good word and work to do His will working in mâ— 1 Pet. 5. 10. Heb. 13. 21 that which is well-pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ That I Phill. 1. 10 11. may approve those things which are excellent being sincere and without offence filled with the fruits of righteousness c. Pressing toward the mark Phill. 3. 11 14. for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead that is to such a measure of Grace and Holiness as I shall have 2 Tim. 3. 17. at the resurrection of the dead that I may be perfect throughly furnished unto every good work And for my outward conversation that it may be as it becometh the Gospel Phill. 1. 27. Tit. 2. 3 10. of Christ as becometh holiness that I may adorn the doctrine of God my Saviour in all things so that the Word of Verse 5. God may not be blasphemed nor the way 2 Pet. 2. 2. Jam. 1. 27. of truth evil spoken of through my default and that I may keep my self unspotted of the world walking so as 1 Joh. 2. 6. Christ walked while He was here upon the earth That after I have served my generation by the will of God and shall fall asleep and be gathered to my fathers Acts 13. 36. 2 Tim. 4. 7. and see corruption after I have fought a good fight here finished my course Heb. 12. 28. and kept the faith I may receive a kingdom that cannot be shaken an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that 1 Pet. 1. 4. jude 1. fadeth not away reserved in heaven for me and to which I am preserved in Christ Jesus This is my hope this is my expectation for I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to 2 Tim. 1. 12. keep that which I have committed to Him even the keeping of my soul and the crown of everlasting life against that day The Lord is the portion of my soul I am 3. 24 Prov. 23. 18. therefore will I wait for Him and my expectation shall not be cut off For they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as eagles they shall run and not be weary Isai 40. 31. they shall walk and not saint Now the Lord direct our hearts into the love of God and into the patient 2 Thess 3. 5. waiting for Christ Be not weary in well-doing continue Addition 2 Thess 3. 13. to wait upon God Take heed of impatiency of spirit like Joram that wicked King of Israel in that dreadful man-devouring famine of Samaria who 2 King 6. 33. though he acknowledged this evil is from the Lord yet impatiently and wickedly added wherefore should I wait on the Lord any longer He was convinced of the hand of God in His judgments upon Him so rationally he should have concluded therefore will I wait upon Him and seek to Him for relief Vna eademque manus vulnus opemque feret the same hand that wounds the same hand must bring the cure It had been more rationally inferred this evil is from the Lord therefore upon Him will I wait to Him will I address my self for deliverance But he concludes as in the Hebrew it is Mah Ochil â—adonai Quid expectabo Dominum wherefore should I wait on the Lord why should I fast and pray or carry my self patiently as the Chaldee hath
Faith fills the heart full of spiritual joy and therefore these two are joyned together believing we rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory And so 1 Pet 1. 8. 2 Pet. 1. 6 10. a believer strives to add to his faith vertue c. to grow and increase more and more never to give over reaching forth and pressing toward the mark if by any means he might attain unto the resurrection Phill. 3. 11. of the dead to attain to such a measure of Grace and Holiness as I shall have at the resurrection of the dead when I shall receive the end of my faith 1 Pet. 1. 9. even the salvation of my soul where faith shall for ever be swallowed up with fruition EXERCITATION THE SEVENTH Psal 93. 5. Holiness becometh Thine house O Lord for ever HOliness in the Septuagint is rendered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sanctimonia from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sanctus which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as some say is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 veneratio ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 veneror colo Then it implies that holy persons are true worshippers of God 2. Others derive it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a privative particle and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 terra quasi extra terram vel sine â—erra then it denotes that Saints must not be glewed to the earth but trample all earthly things under their feet 3. Others derive it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 duco because the Godly are led in the ways of God So said the Apostle As many as Rom. 8. 14. are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God Holiness is the end of our election for God chose us in Christ before the Eph. 1. 4. foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love This Holiness makes the Church and people of God and every particular Servant of His to excel all the world besides For Saints and holy persons are excellent persons they are more excellent Psal 16. 3. Prov. 12. 2â— than their neighbour This comely and becoming this excellent dress of holiness makes us like the most holy God Therefore He commands us be ye holy as I am holy and be ye holy for 1 Pet. 1. 15 16. I the Lord your God am holy If we would shew our selves God's Children and call Him Father let us be followers Eph. 5. 1. of God as dear children endeavouring to come near His nature by Holiness and Sanctimony of life Yea God is Holiness it self in the abstract Once have I Psal 89. 35. sworn by My holiness c. that is by my Self who am holiness it self Holiness applyed unto God is that Holiness of God what it is Divine uncreated essence which being it self most holy and undesiled loveth every thing which is so and loatheth and hateth every thing which is not so The men of Bethshemesh after they had so pryed into the Ark experimentally said Who can stand before this holy Lord 1 Sam. 6. 20. God Holiness applyed unto men signifies Holiness of men what it is that created quality of pureness wherein the Saints resemble God being pure severed in part from the mixture of sin as God is holy and pure Here we are unperfectly pure and clean and unpolluted separate from sin and corruption but such we shall be most perfectly in heaven So the nearer that any come to God in holiness the more they are like unto God best liked and beloved of Him Therefore this should breed in our hearts a love of holiness and a hatred of whatsoever is contrary unto it it should kill in us all evil thoughts and opinions of God that may rise in our hearts seeing in Him who is holiness it self there can be no iniquity No evil shall dwell with Him He hateth all Psal 5. 5. those that are workers of iniquity He cannot endure to behold iniquity in the sons of men but with indignation He Habb 1. 13. is of purer eyes to behold evil Holiness is a real change of a man Definition of Holiness from the filthiness of sin into the purity of the image of God To put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the Ephes 4. 22 23 24. deceitful lusts and to be renewed in the spirit of our mind and to put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness Christ is the sum of the whole Scriptures therefore necessarily He who is the new man must be the rule of holiness Holiness is a conformity unto Christ if we consider the nature of it when we are reindued with that image of God after which we were at first created We were predestinated to be conformed Rom. 8. 29. to the image of His Son that is to be conformed to Christ in His nature which is Holiness in His end which is blessedness and in the way thereunto which is by sufferings So our holiness must bear a proportion to Christ's holiness for conformity cannot be without proportion 1. Our holiness must have the same principle and seed with Christ's holiness namely His Spirit 2. It must be conformable to Christ's holiness in the ends of it as the glory of God and the good of the Church Rom. 11. 36. 3. Our holiness must be proportionable to Christ's holiness in regard of the parts of it it must be universal to have respect to all Gods Commandments and that with the whole man both Soul and Body So the Apostle prays for the Psal 119. 8. 1 Thess 5. 23. Thessalonians And the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God that your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 4. In the manner of working and there 1. It must be done with self-denyal So said our Saviour If any Mat. 16. 24. man will follow Me let him deny himself c. 2. It must be done in obedience to God so Christ said In the volume Heb. 10. 5. of thy book it is written of Me to do Thy will O God Lo I come to do thy 7. 9. will O God 3. It must have growth and proficiency with it therefore we are bid to grow in Grace and in the 2 Pet. 3. 18. knowledge of our Lord Jesus A plant while it hath life in it will grow so a Child c. Even so we while we have the life of true Grace in us will strive to grow and make proficiency in the ways of holiness Sanctification is a real change both of our quality and dispositions Of Lyons Isai 11. 6. we become Lambs though we were fierce cruel hard-hearted c. formerly Sanctification makes us gentle meek easie to be intreated peaceable â—am 3. 17. full of mercy and good fruits c. Briefly it is a change of the whole man and
own destruction 2. As Patience looks on men for its Object or those means in the hand of such instruments whereby evil is brought upon us There we ought wholly to leave it to God 2 Thes 1. 6. For it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble us If when we do well and 1 Pet. 2. 20. suffer for it we take it patiently that is acceptable with God Following the â—â—â— 23. example of our Saviour who when He was reviled He reviled not again when He suffered He threatned not but committed His cause to Him that judgeth righteously And in this respect a desire of revenge is opposed to patience Avenge not your selves for it is written Rom. 12 19. vengeance is Mine I will recompence saith the Lord. 3. As Patience hath reference to our selves that through the sense of our crosses and afflictions we be not tempted to forsake our duty which is incumbent upon us we have need of patience that after we have done the will of God we might receive the promise To this is opposed when our hearts are broken with afflictions and from peevishness there hence to turn out Heb. 12. 13. of the right way The just shall live by Heb. 10. 38. Faith but if any draw back God soul shall have no pleasure in them Make straight steps for your feet lest that which is lame be turned out of the way c. Q. By what means may we be confirmed and strengthned in this our Patience By these Four Arguments A. 1. Because without this Patient enduring for so the Greek word sig-Nifies no good thing can be perfected in us Let patience in you have its perfect Jam. 1. 4. work that ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing 2. Because without patience we cannot possess our own souls in your patience possess ye your souls If thou faint Prov. 24. 10. in the day of adversity thy strength is small 3. Because by these troubles we are called forth by God who tries us to combate against the Devil who then when we have any notable cross or affliction upon us will be sure to tempt Heb. 10. 32. us Call then to remembrance the former days in which after ye were illuminated ye endured a great fight of afflictions Now if we are foiled by Satan it will be a great dishonour to God and a great calamity to our selves Therefore Rom. 12. 21 be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good 4. Because in this combate as God will give unto us strength so He will grant us a happy issue There hath no Cor. 10. 13. temptation taken you but such as is common unto man but the Lord is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it To sum up all as we said before Patience is a Christian vertue whereby we willingly submit our selves to the pleasure of God in all things and with alacrity and cheerfulness go through those troubles which He sendeth upon us like obedient children meekly enduring the correction of our heavenly Father The vices contrary to Patience are 1. In defect murmuring and impatiency in grudging to bear whatsoever cross the Lord shall lay upon us 2. In excess stupidity in not being touched with nor profiting under or by the Hand of God when it is upon us This Patience is a vertue which doth arise from our assiance and trust in God which is a duty enjoyned in the First Commandment EXERCITATION THE TWELFTH James 4. 6. God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble HEre be two entire Propositions the subject Copula Praedicate in each of them The first is this 1. God resisteth the proud And then with the Supplement God which is necessarily understood 2. The second is God giveth grace to the humble The word But sheweth the great contrariety in the account and esteem of God between the proud and the humble they are as contrariant as Hell to Heaven First to speak of the first Proposition and open the words and descant a little upon them 1. God resisteth the Proud The great the mighty the All-mighty the just the terrible and sin-revenging God who with the breath of His lips shall slay the Isai 11. 4. wicked it is He that resisteth proud men He resisteth them the word in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies that God opposeth them and sets himself against them God opposeth and sets Himself against all proud persons for that they oppose and set themselves against Him Now we must know that in Scripture-Phrase the proud and wicked and they that are hated and abhorred of Psal 31. 23. Mal. 3. 15. God are synonimous do signifie and are taken for one and the same Behold 4. 1. the day of the Lord cometh that shall burn as an oven and all the proud yea and all the wicked shall be stubble and the day that cometh shall burn them up and it shall leave them neither root nor branch It is endless to quote all the Texts of Scripture to this purpose that proud and wicked in Scripture are convertible terms they are and signifie one and the same The word Proud in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apparâ—â— in lucem profero c. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supra to appear and shew themselves above others Endeavour in a plain and practical way to speak to the meanest capacity We will first set down what Pride is Pride is an inordinate affectation of Definition of Pride our own parts or excellency I will not speak of pride of Apparel which is childish and very wicked for apparel is the badge both of our sin and of our shame Before the Fall we read that the man and woman were both naked Gen. 2. 25 and were not ashamed There is pride 1. In reference to Parts of Pride God 2. In reference to men The parts of pride in reference to men are these five 1. Boasting 2. Arrogancy 3. Vain-glory. 4. Ambition And 5. Presumption 1. If our pride be about those good things which we have then it is called Boasting 2. If it be about those things which we would seem to have it is called Arrogancy 3. If it be concerning our fame and esteem which we seek to have from others then it is called Vain-glory. 4. If it be concerning dignities and honours it is called Ambition 5. If it be concerning getting of things which do exceed our own strength and power then it is Presumption This affectation of our own parts How it is shewed worth or excellency is shewed 2 ways 1. When a man lifteth up himself above another 2. When he arrogateth to himself something above himself In the former of these a man is
God Who Job 9. 4. ever hardened himself against God and prospered Know as thou canst not contend with Him so He knows thee afar Psal 138. 6. Psal 73. 27. off and all they that be far from Him shall perish Talk no more so exceeding proudly let not arrogancy come forth of thy lips for the Lord is a God of judgment 1 Sam. 2. 3. and by Him actions are weighed Though in thy towring thoughts thou thinkest highly of thy self yet when God weighs thee in the ballance thou wilt be found a pitiful poor empty creature Therefore hear and give ear for Jer. 13. 15. the Lord hath spoken these things against thee and be not proud any longer The height of pride is scornfulness He that is proud and haughty scornful is Prov. 21. 24. his name who worketh in the pride of his wrath this man despiseth his neighbour Prov. 18. 3. and therefore is destitute of understanding Judgments are prepared for scorners and stripes for the backs of such Prov. 19. 29. proud fools And so I leave them Surely God scorneth the scorners but He giveth Prov. 3. 34. grace unto the lowly Q. What are the proper means whereby pride may be subdued A. 1. With the consideration of the greatness and power of God the serious apprehension thereof will make us vile Job 42. 5 6. Rom. 9. 20. 21. in our own eyes and to abhor our selves in dust and ashes 2. So the second means is the consideration of our own vileness 3. The consideration of those obligations and tyes by which we are bound to subject our selves wholly to God as He is our Creator Up-holder Provider and our Lord. 4. The consideration of God's wrath and indignation against all proud persons and His grace and favour toward the humble Come we now to the second Proposition God giveth grace to the humble 2 Proposition There are several acceptations of Grace in Scripture But to wave them Grace in God is His eternal favour and good-will which is the well-spring of all the benefits we have So we have it 1 Tim. 1. 9. according to His own purpose and Grace So Rom. 11. 6. if of Grace then not of works This is the Grace of Election which makes us gracious and acceptable unto God There is also Grace freely given as the gifts of the Spirit freely bestowed upon us so we are bid to grow in Grace So also faith with all the saving 2 Pet. 3. 18 effects and fruits thereof which are called Grace because they are freely given unto us So also the free imputation Rom. 5. 1. 15 17. 20 21. of Christ's righteousness or our justification is by God's Grace and called the Grace of God which hath abounded unto many By the name of Grace we use to comprehend the free favour of God in Christ and His gifts from that Grace whether given to believers as ingraffing into the body of Christ by His Spirit remission of sins final perseverance or to hold out unto the end and in the end eternal life These gifts are not given of God but only to those who are in His Grace and favour that is to true believers But corporal and temporal good things are given to many yea to those that are not true believers and have no faith whereby men alone may please God Heb. 11. 6. Some do understand by Grace in this place favour and acceptation with God Luk. 2. 80. and men So we read that Jesus grew in Grace and savour with God and men so it is in the Original The Lord will give his people grace and glory and no good thing will â—e withhold from them that Psal 8â— 11. walk uprightly So God gives grace to the humble makes them accepted and favoured with God and men Briefly Grace in Scripture is used three ways 1. For comeliness stature meekness or mildness 2. For free favour whereby one embraceth another pardoning former injuries and receiving the party offending into favour So Gen. 6. 8. Noah found grace in the eyes of God 3. For all kinds of gifts and graces which of God's free favour are given whether temporal or eternal Eph. 4. 7. So I understand that grace is taken here Now to speak of humility we have the same expression in St. Peter as is here All of you be subject one to another and 1 Pet. 5. 5 6. be clothed with humility for God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble Humble your selves therefore under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you in due time A humble man signifies one lowly-minded A description of Humility esteeming others better than himself ascribing all unto God being little in his own eyes or account even as a weaned child Whosoever shall humble Mat. 18. 4. himself as this little child saith our Saviour the same is greatest in the kingdom of God So David to profess his humility said Surely I have behaved and quieted my self as a child that is weaned of his mother my soul is even Psal 131. 1. â— as a weaned child Christ in his incarnation exceedingly humbled Himself for us in that He would be man a Servant and subject to death yea the death of the Cross He being equal to God God Phill. 2. 5 6 7 8. abaseth Himself to behold the things in heaven how much more the things on earth The great God hath two houses where He dwells as in His glory He Psal 113. 6. dwells in Heaven so is He present by His grace to dwell with His humble afflicted poor servants here on earth To this man will I look saith the Lord even to him that is poor and of a contrite Isai 66. 2. spirit and that trembleth at My word Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity whose Name is holy I dwell in the high and holy place with Isai 57. 15. Him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and â—o revive the heart of the contrite ones A man is never so humble as after he hath received the holy Spirit of promise The best men are worst and lowest in their own eyes As the attaining of great learning makes us see our own ignorance more and more for the emptiest vessels sound most so the more grace we have the more we see our own weaknesses and corruptions to be humbled under the sence of them and to loath our selves in our own sight for all Ezek. 36. 31. our iniquities This puts a man quite out of conceit with himself for that the Lord comes in as the Sun-shine and shewes him those corruptions which he never saw before that he wonders at himself how he hath lived so long with himself and knew himself no better This makes him humble and is a means to keep him humble Now there is a Two-fold Humility 1. Toward God 2. Towards Man 1. Of
their hearts God will rent the caul â—oâ— â—â— 3. of their hearts consume and destroy them Humility is to acknowledg that all the good things which are in us or done by us are not from any worth or excellency in our selves but meekly from the free-grace and goodness of God And so from the acknowledgment of His Divine Majesty and our own frailty and unworthiness to submit our selves wholly to God to give glory of all those good things in us to Him alone and so truely to fear God to acknowledge and deplore all our sins wants and weaknesses not to desire great things or high places but to contain our selves within our own place and callings not resting on our own endowments but wholly on Gods help not to despise others in comparison of our selves nor hindering them in the performance of their duties but to acknowledge that others are and may be as worthy instruments of Gods glory as our selves and so to give them honour and respect accordingly Not to affect excellency above others but to be content with our place and those gifts which God hath given us and to employ all our gifts and studies and parts to Gods glory and the good of our Neighbours not to murmur against God if we are frustrated of our hope if we are contemned and despised of some but in all things to give unto God the praise of His Wisdom and Justice This is the practice of an humble man Job 22 29. When men are cast down then thou shall say there is a lifting up and God will save the humble person He forgetteth Psal 9. 12. not the cry of the humble He will Psal 10. 17. hear the desire of the humble A mans pride shall bring him low but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit It is Prov. 29. 23. Prov. 16. 19. better to be of an humble spirit with the lowly than to divide the spoil with the proud God said by Moses to Pharaoh How Exod. 10. 3. long wilt thou refuse to humble thy self before Me When he had so many Plagues and Judgments upon him yet he did not humble himself but his heart and the hearts of his servants were not humbled therefore they were utterly destroy'd and consum'd and sunk like a stone in those mighty waters of the Red-Sea So God brought them low Now these things are written for our 1 Cor. 10. 11. 7. 8. admonition that we should not be proud and stubborn haughty and rebellious c. as they were lest God pour down His vengeance and judgments on us likewise The humble shall see and be glad Psal 34. 2. and consider it their heart shall live that seek God O consider this ye that proudly forget God lest He tear you in pieces and Psal 50. 22. there be none to deliver yet there is hope for all this if thou wilt humble thy self and pray and seek the face of God and turn from thy wicked wayes then 2 Chron. 7. 14. Isai 55. 7. will the Lord hear from heaven and will pardon thy sins and will have mercy upon thee For God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble Humility makes men like to the holy Addition Angels but Pride made those become Devils that were Angels Pride was born in Heaven and as if it had forgotten which way it fell there-hence it can never return thither again Pride is the very beginning and end and cause of all Sin it is the root of all evil and Mistress and Queen of all other vices Other vices do only oppose and fight against those virtues which they are contrary unto as Drunkenness warreth against Sobriety Anger against Patience Wantonness and Whoredom against Chastity c. but Pride lifâ—eth up it self against all virtues and like a general and pestiferous Disease corrupts them all One said well there are four things draw the Chariot of Pride 1. Desire of Dominion 2. Love of ones own praise 3. Contempt of others 4. Disobedience And the wheels of this Chariot are boasting and arrogancy multitude of words and levity The Chariot-driver is the spirit of Pride and all they that are lovers of this present world are carried in this Chariot the horses of this Chariot are unbridled the wheels are very slippery the Chariot-driver very perverse and furious and they that are carried therein very infirm and weak persons Therefore this sin of Pride is to be cut down and grubbed up even at the very roots lest hiddenly and secretly it rising up it grow and increase by our allowing and bearing with it and so become stronger by use and custome much care and watchfulness is required against it Pride overthrew the Tower of Babel confounded our Speech prostrated Goliah hanged Haman slew Nicanor killed Antiochus drowned Pharaoh destroyed Sennacherib made Nebuchadnezar like a beast Herod to be eaten up with worms ruined stately Cities and Palaces and God sets Himself against all proud persons The Heathens could say Nosce teipsum è caelo descendit Know thy self is a saying or an Oracle from Heaven They that know themselves cannot be proud persons for they see so much sinfulness weakness ignorance and infirmities in themselves which kills Self-love that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and makes them even out of conceit with themselves seeing they have nothing but sin in and from themselves Every man of himself is a very Devil having nothing but wickedness in him All the imaginations and thoughts of his heart are only evil continually evil and extreamly evil If Gen. 6. 6â— he hath any good at all in him it is from God He cannot think a good thought as of himself much less speak or do that which is good all our sufficiency is 2 Cor. 3. â— of God Man by the fall of Adam was despoyled of all spiritual and supernatural gifts as faith love righteousness c. so also of all natural gifts as understanding judgment will c. which although they are not taken away yet the uprightness soundness and regularity of them is lost The understanding being filled with darkness and blindness the will with crookedness and perverseness c. yea and all things which belong to the blessed life of the soul are extinguished and lost until by grace of regeneration they are recovered Because Christ restoreth all these things to us therefore they are accounted from another and not from nature and therefore were once taken away Reason was not taken away by the fall but it was exceedingly corrupted and depraved that only foul ruines thereof do now appear The light shined in darkness Joh. 1. 5. and the darkness comprehended it not In the perverted and degenerate nature of man there shine yet some sparks which shew him to be a reasonable creature differing from brutes because he is endued with understanding and yet that light is choaked with great and thick mists of ignorance that it cannot effectually get abroad I might farther
heaven and heavenly things It is not said this or that place is the 1 Cor. 10 28. Lords but the earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof Therefore seeing we believe God to be our Father and our heavenly Father so He is able and willing to hear and help us this should moderate our care for the things of this life For if we know our selves to be the children of God then we must also know that God will provide for us As we know in a family the father of the family provideth for all those of his houshold God is the great house-keeper of all the earth He provideth Psal 145. 16. for the Raven his food when his young ones cry to God and wander for lack of meat He giveth to the beast his food Job 38. 41. Psal 147. 9. and to the young Ravens which cry Doth God take care of Beast and Ravens 1 Cor. 9. 9. and will He not much more take care for His Children those of His own Houshold If we should see a young man provide for himself and no one else for him surely we would say his Father is dead even so when a mans care both day and night is set wholly for the things of this life it argues either that God hath cast him off or else that he takes God for no Father of his Again if the Lord doth thus take care of His Children and provideth for them all kind of benefits What a horrid wickedness is it for men to get their living by ungodly means as lying cheating fraud carding dicing and such like exercises If a man were perswaded that God were his Father and would provide sufficiently both for his soul and body so that using lawful means he should ever have enough out of all doubt he would never after the fashion of the world use unlawful and profane means to get a living But this plainly evidenceth that however such men say that God is their Father yet indeed they deny Him Our blessed Saviour in the Fourth Petition of the Lords Prayer teaches us to pray to our heavenly Father to give us this day our dayly bread Where bread by a Synecdoche very usual to the Hebrews signifies all corporal good things necessary for this life as food clothing health peace and such like and also a good use of them Therefore all these good things Christ comprehends under the name of Bread and that for these reasons To bridle our lusts that only bread is to be pray'd for only things necessary for the sustentation of this life whereby we may be the better enabled to serve God and our Neighbour in our Vocation and Calling whether in our general calling as we are Christians or in our particular calling in that place and calling God hath set us in 2. To teach us also to beg of God the wholsom and good use of these outward things So then in the Fourth Petition when we beg Bread of God it signifies 1. Not great riches but only things necessary such a proportion of maintainance credit liberty health wealth Prov. 30. 8. food and rayment c. as is convenient for us And that with condition if God see it fit for us and if it be His good-will and pleasure Which exception is a caution proper to this Petition for outward things 2. We beg hereby that these things may be bread to us that is that by the blessing of God they may be wholsom and good unto us And we beg our bread not anothers that which God sees fir for us which we may call our own God as a Father of a Family distributeth to every one a portion which we beg may be given to us And our bread bread gotten by our own labour and industry that so we may eat the labour of our Psal 128 2. 1 Thes 4. 11. 2 Thes 3. 12. own hands and eat our own bread And so that is called our bread which comes to us by the blessing of God on our lawful endeavours so that neither God nor Man can justly implead us for it And that we may use it with a good conscience and with giving of thanks Let him that stole steal no more but rather Eph. 4. 28. let him work with his own hands that he may have wherewith to give to him that is in want God would have us â—e sure that when He giveth us these good things He gives us power to use and enjoy them and He would not have us to use His gifts as Thieves but freely and with thanks-giving to Him for them Q. Why do we pray for Dayly Bread A. Because God would have us every day to ask so much as is sufficient for us for each day 2. That God may bridle our unsatiable and unruly desires Our Father Mat. 6. 32. knoweth what we have need of A little that a righteous man hath is better than Psal 37. 16. the â—iohes of many wicked No good and needful things shall be wanting to them that fear the Lord. In the proper Psal 34. 10. language of the Spirit of God it is that bread which is fit for me and agreeable to my condition Q. Why do we pray Give us this day A. 1. That we may be taken off from distrust and covetousness 2. That we may depend on God alone and beg things necessary from Him and expect them wholly from Him 3. That the exercise of Faith and Prayer may be daily continued in us 4. We Pray for This day to teach us to Pray for Bread for a day not for a moneth or a year so to teach us for to restrain our care that it reach not too far but to rest on God's Providence and present blessings and so not to be covetous Hereby we profess the moderation of our care and desire of earthly things with our purpose every day by Labour and Prayer to seek these blessings at the hands of God Here also our affections are forbidden to pass measure not to have a carking and troubling care seeing the present Mat. 6. 34. vexation of the day is enough for it self But to commit our ways to God and Psal 37. 5. Prov. 16. 3. to rowle all our matters upon Him who will bring them all to pass So here we see that a moderate appetite and desire of having these earthly things and a moderate care of procuring them is approved and required Eph. 4. 28. 2 Cor. 12. 13 14. that we may not be burdensome but rather helpful unto others There are two extreams hereof we must know that every virtue is a middle between two extreams 1. The first extream is carelessness and neglect of our goods and estate For as he is commended who gathereth in seasonable times so he is much blamed Prov. 10. 5. 6. 6. who neglecteth those opportunities and is censured by the Apostle to be worse than an infidel 1 Tim. 5. 8. 2. The second extream is
an anxious and solicitous care of which before we spake which distracteth the mind that it cannot wholly be intent to God's Service as is required And this doth partly arise from covetousness and partly from diffidence and distrust in God's Promises and Providence as before we said So we must regulate our desires of these outward things in subserviency to God's Will His Glory and our own Salvation and to desire heavenly things in the first place before and above all earthly things Spiritual things we may pray for absolutely and there let us open our mouthes wide be large in our desires for them and God will fill us Blessed are they that hunger and thirst Psal 81. 10. Mat. 5. 6. after righteousness for they shall be satisfied God takes it well at our hands when we ask heavenly things in the first place then He will give us earthly things as an advantage So God did to Solomon because he asked not riches or honour or the necks of his enemies but because he asked Wisdom therefore said the Lord Wisdom and knowledg is granted unto thee and I will give thee 2 Chron. 1. 10 11 12. also riches and wealth and honour such as none ever had before thee c. Take we heed yet that we seek not earthly things inordinately or over-earnestly Gen. 30. 1. as Rachel said Give me children or else I dye Nor to seek them by sinful or unlawful means to the hazard of our souls and everlasting Salvation A Christian can be set in no estate or condition wherein the abundant care of God is not seen over him and commonly in the greatest straights He sheweth the greatest care of us As water runs strongest in the narrowest passages so when we walk in darkness and have Isa 50. 10. no light when we seek water and there is none and our tongue faileth for thirst Isa 41. 17. then is Gods fittest time to help us and then is our most needful time to stay our selves upon Him God many times takes our extremity for His opportunity to do us good In the mount will the Gen. 22. 14. Lord be seen Many will say they trust in God aye but most commonly it is when their Coffers and Barns are full then it is an easie thing for them to say they depend upon God But the tryal of a Christians Faith is if God doth strip him naked and bare of worldly comforts and enjoyments deprives him of humane helps yet then to rest on the Name of Isa 50. 10. the Lord and to stay himself upon his God then to live by Faith upon the promises as the Apostle Habakkuk Hâ—b 3. 17. 18. said although the Figg-tree shall not blossom neither shall fruit be in the Vines the labour of the Olive shall fail and the fields shall yield no meat the flocks shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalls Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord and will joy in the God of my Salvation The Lord is my strength c. Here is the tryal of Faith and of a holy dependance upon God if God bring us into such or the like streights and we never let go our hope and confidence in God but still trust in Him like Job who said though He kill me Job 13. 19. yet will I trust in Him then we glorifie God by believing and greatly engage Him so that He will doubtless appear for our help succour and relieve us for Psal 44. 26. His mercy and truths sake For He that said Call upon Me in Psal 50. 15. the day of trouble I will hear thee and give the cause to glorifie Mee None that wait upon God shall be ashamed Rom. 10. 11. We shall never be ashamed of our faith and hope and confidence in Him For that engageth God to succour help and supply us because we have trusted in Psal 33. 21. His holy Name Blessed are all they that thus wait and hope and trust in God as in regard of Spiritual and Everlasting Isa 30. 18. blessings especially so also in regard of these Temporal and outward supplies This is a great argument we have to prevail with God in prayer that in Christ we call Him Father as God is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ by Eternal Generation so in and through Christ He is our God and Father also by Grace and Adoption Therefore said our Saviour I ascend to my Father John 20. 17. and your Father to my God and your God We present our selves before God as His own Children and Servants we make mention of no other Lord or Name over us but His alone we are called Isa 63. 8 19. by His Name and therefore He cannot deny us those things which are good for us These outward things are necessary for us in a Three-fold respect 1. In respect of Nature to the sustaining of Nature as food and rayment Having food and rayment let us therewith 1 Tim. 6. 8. be content It was Jacob's desire and wish if God will be with me and Gen. 28. 20 21. keep me in the way that I go and will give me bread to eat and rayment to put on so that I come again to my Fathers house in peace then shall the Lord be my God c. 2. Necessary in regard of Persons when we have sufficient for our selves and those that belong unto us He that 1 Tim. 5. 8. provideth not for his own and especially for those of his own house he hath denied the Faith and is worse than an infidel If I have not wherewithal I cannot provide for them 3. Necessary in respect of State when we have that which is sufficient to maintain us in that rank place and calling wherein God hath set us These things we may lawfully desire and beg of God Contrary to these are 1. A voluntary affectation of poverty as in the Popish begging Fryers commending that for a vertue and a degree of perfection which the Spirit of God hath taught us to pray against give me Prov. 30. 8. neither poverty nor riches c. 2. The immoderate affectation of riches and honour and that in a greater measure than is needful for us If we have more than is needful or necessary we are apt to be proud therewith to have our hearts lifted up with pride and so to fall into the condemnation of the Devil For riches are a snare and are 1 Tim. 6 9. ver 17. apt to drown men in destruction and perdition they are also uncertain they soon flee away as an Eagle towards heaven Prov. 23. 5. and yet they are to us as a stone or a piece of Lead ty'd to a Bird hindering our soaring upwards in heart and affection towards heaven they are desiling also for we cannot tell a sum of money but it will foul our singers but worst they are apt to deâ—ile our hearts and
word hath a weight of matter but we must not dwell upon that now Also we must be diligent in our Callings for an idle soul shall suffer hunger Prov. 19 15. As we do see the constancy of Providence even so we shall find the power of Providence by bridleing the power of enemies confounding their power as he did Senacherib's Hoast prospering under their power as the more they are afflicted the more they prosper Rom. 8 37. and at lost conquering them nay in all these things we are more than conquerours through Him that loved us I could enlarge upon each of these but I study brevity 1. Oh the tenderness of God's Providence Isa 63. 9. over His poor servants in all our afflictions He is afflicted c. He Deut. 32. 10. keeps us as the apple of His eye now the apple of the eye is the tenderest part in all the body 2. Consider also as the tenderness so the sidelity of God's Providence He is faithful who hath promised Heb. 10. 23. 3. The Wisdom of God's Providence and that in the several branches thereof 1. God discerns what is good for us 2. God foresees all the evils which may befal us 3. God sometimes prevents and disappoints them 4. Gods ordering them for our good if they do befal us 5. Finding out means and ways for our safety 6. In seasonable supplies of strength under them or deliverance from them Trust in the Lord Psal 37 3. and do good so shalt thou dwell in the land and verily thou shalt be fed If we can find an hand to labour and take pains and faith to believe and trust God will find meat to feed us and rayment wherewith to cloath us For He careth for us The good old Prophet Elisha when he had received so many kindnesses from the woman of Shunem he said 2 Kin. 4 13. unto her behold thou hast been careful for us with all this care what is to be done unto thee for it But God hath cared for us with great care in our mothers womb fearfully Psal 139. 14 15 16. and wonderfully were we made and curiously wrought in the lower parts of the earth in his book all our members were written He took us out of our mothers Psal 22. 9. womb We have been cast upon God from our birth He hath fed us all our Gen. 48. 15. life long even to this day His Providence and mercies have been always upon us for we cannot subsist a moment without Him Yet we take not so much notice of it as we should nor say in our hearts what shall we give unto Thee for all this thy great care over us Or what shall we render to the Lord Psal 116. 12. for all His benefits towards us Let us give up our selves wholly unto God and present our bodies a living Rom. 12. 1 2. sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is our reasonable service and not to be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds that we may prove what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God and that to follow and to avoid whatsoever is contrary thereunto Learn to depend upon God to live by Faith he that believeth makes not Isa 28. 16. haste to use diligence in our places and then Cast we all our care upon God for He careth for us St. Paul plainly condemns the desire Addition of riches that is of things more than necessary affirming that such as desire to be rich fall into the snares of the Devil 1 Tim. 6. 9. Some have observed Twelve wonders in the Manna of the Israelites 1. They were fed with it 40 Years 2. To the Godly it tasted according to every ones desire 3. To the ungodly it was loathsome 4. A Gomar of it sufficed all stomachs 5. Whether men gathered more or less they had full measure neither more or less that is a Gomar full 6. Two Gomars full before the Sabbath or other days but one Gomar full 7. It fell every day but on the Sabbath day 8. It melted in the Sun and was hardened in the fire 9. It was kept many years in the Ark unputrifi'd 10. Being preserved till the morrow it putrifi'd except on the Sabbath 11. He that gathered least had his Gomar full 12. He that gathered most had but his Gomar Now by the most of these wonders we are taught and especially in that Manna laid up till the next day putrifi'd and that every Israelite had his competent measure were his labour more or less It shews that the seeking of abundance pleaseth not God An Omer or Gomar was a measure of dry things also a Sheaf of Corn or handful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because usually that Ruth 2. 7. which was beaten out of a Sheaf might fill a Gomar God knoweth what is fittest for us Nature is content with little Grace with less To speak a little more of the Providence of God The Providence of God is His eternal Another Description of Proviaâ—nce most free immutable most wise and most just Councel according to which He worketh all good things in His creatures permitteth evil things to be done and directeth all things both good and evil to His own glory and the good of His Elect. I could prove out of Scripture every word of this Definition but I study brevity All things come to pass by the Providence of God both things past present and future So God said by the Prophet Remember the former things Isa 46. 9 10. of old for I am God and there is none else I am God and there is none like Me Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times the things that are not yet done sayiny my Councel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure Consider the degrees of Providence God careth for and Governeth all His creatures but especially mankind as the chief among the works of Creation and made in the image of God and in mankind especially the Elect and chosen to life Eternal whom He maketh one everlasting Church with the blessed Angels that He might dwell in them as in His Temple and Habitation Therefore doth He so lead them and govern them through the whole course of their life that all things may serve and â—end to their everlasting Salvation Gods Providence is over us in the whole course of our lives So He said Gen. 28. 19. to Jacob Lo I am with thee and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest c. For I will not leave thee until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of So Laban would have injured and deceived Jacob but God suffered Gen. 31. 7 8 9. him not to hurt him yea God blessed Jacob the more for Labans deceits and wrongs intended towards him So God said to Paul Fear not for I am with thee Acts 18. 9. and no
be raised up again which have been dead from the beginning of the world and they that remain alive shall suddenly be changed and so all shall be set before the Tribunal Sâ—at of Christ who shall pass Sentence upon All adjudging the Devils and all the wicked to everlasting punishments but shall receive the godly unto Himself that together with Him and the blessed Angels they may enjoy everlasting glory and happiness in Heaven Or more briefly thus It shall be a manifestation of all hearts and a laying open of all things which men have done and a separating of the wicked from the godly passing Sentence upon All and Execution of that Sentence according to the Doctrine of the Law and Gospel Which will be a perfect deliverance and perpetual blessedness to the Godly and a casting of the Wicked and Devils into everlasting Punishment We will prove the several parts hereof out of the Scripture 1. It shall be a laying open of all things For the Books shall be opened that the secrets of all hearts may be made manifest As Rev. 20. 12. Dan. 7. 10. 2. There shall be a separation of the just from the unjust as a Shepherd separateth Mat. 25. 32 33. the Sheep from the Goats setting the Sheep on his right hand and the Goats on his left 3. This separation shall be by Christ the Judge For the Father hath committed Joh. 5. 22. all Judgment to the Son And Acts 17. 31. God hath appointed a day wherein He will judg the world by Christ 4. There shall be a passing of Sentence For Christ shall say to those on His right hand Come ye blessed c. and to those on His left hand Go ye cursed c. 5. There shall be an eternal Execution of this Sentence for the wicked shall go away into everlasting fire but Mat. 25. 46. the just into life eternal 6. Both the godly and the wicked shall be judged according to the Law and Gospel that is they shall be declared just or unjust before the Tribunal of Christ For the absolution of the just shall principally be according to the Gospel and shall be confirm'd by the Law The damnation of the unjust shall be principally by the Law and shall be confirm'd by the Gospel The Sentence on the wicked shall be taken from their merits The Sentence on the godly shall be taken from Christ's merits apply'd to them by Faith the testimony of whose Faith shall be their works Q. When shall this Judgment be A. We know not the time So â—aith our Saviour That day knoweth no man Mark 13. 32. no not the Angels which are in heaven nor the Son that is as man but the Father only Good conceals this day 1. That He may exercise our faith hope and patience that believing in God we may persevere in expectation of the promises and of the glorious deliverance of the Sons of God 2. That our curiosity may be restrain'd 3. That we may be continued in His fear in godliness and careful performance of our duty that we be not secure but always prepar'd because we are uncertain when â—â—â— Lord will come 4. That the wicked may not desser their repentance because they know not the day lest the day take them at Mark 13. 35 36 37. unawares and unprepared Therefore we are bid to watch and to employ our Talents well until Christ Luk. 19. 13. come Let the Saints rejoyce in God for Christ will come who will be a favourable Judg unto us for He is our Brother our Redeemer our merciful High-Priest He will come in Majesty and great Glory He is able to save to Heb. 7. 27 the utmost all that come to God by Him c. And He comes as to reward Vengance to His enemies so to bring us Joh. 17. 24. 12. 26. unto Himself that where He is who is our glorious Head and Husband there we His servants may also be c. Wherefore seeing we look for such things be we diligent that we may be found of Him in peace without spot 1 Pet. 3. 14. and blameless Then shall we have cause to lift up our heads and rejoyce Luk. 21. 28. for our everlasting redemption draweth nigh So we see by Judgment here is meant the pronouncing and executing of that irrevocable Sentence either of absolution or condemnation Judgment is Two fold 1st Particular 2dly General 1. Particular on every man and woman 1 Particular Judgment Heb. 9. 27. at the hour of death As it is appointed unto all men once to dye and after death comes judgment After Hâ—â—l 12. 7. death the body returns to the earth from whence it was and the spirit to God that gave it there immediately to receive its Sentence 2. General Judgment of which we 2. General Judgment Acts 17. 31. here speak upon all men at the Second coming of Christ As the death of every one severally goeth before their Particular Judgment So the General Resurrection of all goeth before their Final Judgment which shall be at the last Day wheâ— all men both dead and living shall be summoned by the Voice of Christ and Ministry of His Angels and by the Shout and Trumpet of the Arch-Angel Whereto the Lord joyning His Divine Power shall in a moment both Raise the dead with their own bodies and every part thereof though never so dispersed and change the living so that it shall be with them as if they had been a long time dead and were now raised to life again I say both the Elect and Reprobate shall rise by the same mighty Voice and Power â—â— Christ in the same bodies whereiâ— they formerly lived but so altered â—â— quality as then they shall be able to abide for ever in that estate whereto they shall be adjudged But there shall be a difference between the Resurrection of the Elect and Reprobate for the dead in Christ shall 1 Thes 4. 16 rise first and also the difference shall be 1. The Elect shall be raised as members of the body of Christ by vertue derived from His Resurrection The Reprobate as Malefactours shall bâ— brought forth out of the Prison of the grave by vertue of the Judiciary Power of Christ and of the curse of the Law 2. The Elect shall come forth to everlasting life which is called the Resurrection of life The Reprobate to shame and perpetual contempt which â—s called the Resurrection of condemnation 3. The bodies of the Elect shall be spiritual that is glorious powerful â—ctive or nimble impassible never â—apable to suffer more fashioned like 1 Cor. 15. 42 43 44 Phil. 3. 21. â—nto Christ's glorious body But the â—odies of the Reprobates shall be full of â—ncomeliness gastliness and horror agreeable to the guiltiness and terror of their consciences and liable to extremest torments 4. The Elect shall with great joy be Luke 21. 28. 1 Thes 4 17. caught up into the
do Q. But God is said in Scripture frequently for to swear A. God frequently addeth an oath to His promises but seldom to His threatnings which should make us to acknowledge the great good-will of God to men and His bearing with our infirmities He knows our incredulity and aptness to doubt of His promises especially when we are under afflictions and temptations Therefore He vouchsafeth so far to condescend to our infirmities that He joyns the sanctity of an oath to confirm and strengthen us Wherein God Heb. 6. 17 18. willing more abundantly to shew to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things viz. His word and oath in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have a strong consolation c. Q. But sith an oath is an invocation of God by which He is prayed to preâ—erve him that speaks the truth and to punish him that falsifyeth it how can an oath fall on God because there is none that He can wish to be punished by if He deceives A. That desinition of an oath agreeth with the creature and not with the Creator That it may agree with both the Creator and the creature we must define an oath more largely namely an obliging of himself to punishment if wittingly he doth deceive To swear therefore by another is to acknowledge and set him as the knower and revenger of perjury and to oblige himself to bear punishment inflicted by him that is to the loss of soul or body or life or goods or honour if he doth not so intend and mean as he speaks And therefore they that sweat by creatures commit idolatry Men can oblige themselves to bear punishment from men if they keep not their promise but to swear by any except by God cannot be without Idolatry and Sacriledge to the honour of God For they make him by whom they swear the knower of their hearts a witness of their mind and will and a judge and revenger of perjury Therefore it is said Men truly swear â—â—â— 6. by the greater and an oath given for confirmation is to them an end of all strife but when God made promise to Abraham because He could swear by none greater He sware by Himself c. Men have a higher and greater than they who can bring them to punishment whether they will or no however they may deceive men and either by force or fraud escape their judgment Therefore when the truth can be found out no way else then we have recourse to an oath Because men judge by natural consent that he that takes an oath is not so prophane and wicked a wretch of such desperate audaciousness and impudency and so prodigal of his own Salvation that of his own accord he would provoke God to punish and plague him or to think if he lies that he shall escape unpunished But God hath none greater than Himself that is conscious to or a witness 1 Cor. 2. 11. Job 9. 12. of His secret will or able to punish Him if He saith or thinketh otherwise Therefore God swears by Himself that is He obliges Himself and gives Himself this Law that if He deceives and is not found to do that is not seriously to will what He saith He willeth let Him then be accounted and declared by all His creatures to be vain a lier changeable weak or unjust which is not to be God But there is an unutterable zeal in God of His glory for which He created all things Here we may see as the wonderful great and inexpressible compassion of God towards men in respect of our weakness and diffidence to confirm His Divine truth and promises to us by an oath and what a horrid wickedness it is not to believe God when He swears to us For God by His oath layes His glory as it were to pawn unto us obliging Himself voluntarily to suffer the loss of His glory if he doth not perform His promises Therefore in the same sence the Scripture Gen. 22. 16. Isai 45. 23. saith that God sware by Himself By my Self have I sworn saith the Lord c. I have sworn by my Self c. And that God sware by His holiness Psal 89. 39 Once have I sworn by my holiness c. So Hos 4. 2 The Lord hath sworn by his holiness c. And we read also that God sware by his right hand Isai 62. 8. and by the arm of his strength and by Jeâ— 44. 26. his great name And by his soul or his life Isai 49. 18. As I live saith the Lord 22. 24. Ezek. 5. 11. 14. 16 c. His heart is harder than the nether-milstone and a self-condemned person who doth not believe God when He thus swears Hence may we gather how much comfort may accrew to all those pious souls who suffer affliction from their enemies for the testimony of a good Conscience and for bearing witness to the truth If God so solidly and faithfully hath fulfilled whatsoever He spake of His delivering His people from temporal and corporal afflictions how much more from hell and everlasting damnation from which we are redeemed by the blood of His only-begotten Son Now I will only set down what is required in the third Commandment and so close up this discourse though much more might have been written In the third Commandment is required Mat. 6. 9. Psal 111. 9. that we sanctifie God's name as it is holy and reverend and labour by all we can to extol and lift it up that others may be moved by us more to love serve and honour him That we use God's titles and proper names as Jehovah Jesus c. His properties and attributes His works and actions His Word Sacraments Prayer the whole Worship of God with all reverence and circumspection to such uses as they are appointed by God In a word that we have a careful watch to all things that may advance God's glory and use all sincere and diligent behaviour therein And to take heed of swearing falsly superstitiously or prophanely Lest God swear in his wrath that we shall never Heb. 3. 11. enter into his rest Six Corollaries 1. Let us be humbled for all our ungodly and unsavoury words and speeches and for our irreverend use of Gods holy name His attributes word works and of all His holy ordinances that we have not so sanctified Him therein as we ought and as He requires Levit. 10. 3. of us 2. Let us bewail and lament the great dishonour done to God in prophaning of His holy name by the oaths cursings and execrations of others as the Land mourns for them let us mourn also As Lots righteous soul was vexed from day to day as with seeing the wicked deeds of â—â—â— Sodomites so with hearing their 2 Pet. 2. 8. â—ilthy and ungodly speeches Like David also who said my tears have been my meat day and night
while they daily say Psal 42. 3. Ezek. 9. 4. unto me where is thy God That the Lord may remember us for good and mark us out for mercy when we mourn and sigh and cry out for all the abominations which are done in the Land It is not enough for us to refrain from those abominations but we must also be truly humbled for them and that because of the great dishonour redounding to God thereby 3. Speak not of God but with fear and reverence and as in His sight and hearing for there is not a word in our Psal 139. 4. mouths but he knows it altogether Seeing we are unworthy to take God's holy name in our mouths much less ought we to abuse it vainly and lightly in our speeches But to abuse it in vain rash or false oaths is an undoubted sign of one that hath no fear of God before his eyes They shall make their own tongue Psal 64. 8. Hos 7. 16. to fall upon themselves they shall fall for the rage of their tongue So the Prophet complains Jerusalem is ruined and Judah is fallen because their tongue and Isai 3. 8. their doings are against the Lord to provoke the eyes of his glory 4. Let our speeches be always gracious seasoned with the salt of wisdom and discretion such as may edifie or Colâ— 4. 6. Minister Grace to the hearers Let no corrupt communication proceed out of our Eph. 4. 29. mouths but that which is good c. for 1 Cor. 15. 33. evil communications corrupt good manners 5. Pray to God in the words of David Set thou a watch O Lord before Psal 141. 3. my mouth and keep the door of my lips c. and let us take heed to our ways Psal 39. 1. that we sin not with our tongue and keep our mouth as with a bridle For whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from trouble For he that loveth Prov 21. 23. 1 Pet. 3. 10. life and would see good days must refrain his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak no guile 6. Consider wherefore God gave thee a tongue and the organs of speech thou art not so bruitish as to think it was to curse and swear and blaspheme his name No no know assuredly that the tongue is the glory of a man and so David calls it and faith awake my glory Psal 57. 8. I my self will awake early to praise the Lord. And so in another place Thou hast shewed such mercies to me to the end 30. 1â— that my glory may sing praise to thee and not be silent c. They that use their tongues to God's dishonour and refuse to praise him with their tongues here shall never sing Hallelujahs hereafter but shall gnaw their Rev. 16. 10. tongues for pain because of their pains and that for ever where the worm dyeth not and the fire never goeth out I might farther speak here of the government of the tongue which containeth two parts 1. Holy speech 2. Holy silence In Holy speech must be considered 1. The matter of our speech 2. The manner of it But I shall be too prolix and expatiate too far to insist particularly on these and the several branches thereof I shall close up this discourse with these Sentences The lips of the righteous know what is Prov. 10. 32. acceptable but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his 13. 3 life but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction Whoso keepeth his mouth and tongue 21. 23. keepeth his soul from evil The breach of this third Commandment is very hainous and so much the more as the glory of God is most dear and precious to Him And good reason for if sinful men regard their reputation ought not God much more respect His honour and glory The punishment God threatneth iâ— not to hold the party offending guiltless that is faultless And though noâ— particular punishment should follow yet impunity is punishment enough God is greatly angry when He correcteth not And an hardned heart is punishment enough So a man may be grievously punished and yet not feel it Besides in this threatning no time is affixed that offenders may fear always for suddenly oft-times God cometh anâ— shews His vengeance on such wicked persons as we have many examples No kind of punishment is named that they may look for all There is no exception of persons every one so offending shall be punished and plagued EXERCITATION THE NINTH Exod. 8. 32. And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also IT is a fearful thing for any man to harden his heart against God Who ever hardened himself against God and Job 9. 4. hath prospered Pharaoh first presumptuously and wickedly hardened his own heart then the Lord judicially hardened his heart and gave him over to hardness of heart Though he had those ten direful Plagues upon his Land though the Egyptians his own people cryed out to him to let Israel go urging to him Doest thou not know that all the Exod. 10. 7. land of Egypt is destroyed yet still he hardened his heart Like other wicked men who after their hardness and impenitency of heart treasure up unto Rom. 2. 5. themselves wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgments of God The plague of hardning of his heart was a greater plague than all the ten plagues of Egypt For so obdurate and desperately hardened was his heart that although he had let the people of Israel go and had had all those ten plagues on him and on his Land yet he pursued after them with all his Hoast Chariots Horses and Horsemen even into the middest of the red sea and there they were all drowned there remained not so much as one of them Like as they made their hearts Exod. 14. 28. harder than the nether milstone as it is spoken of Leviathan so they all sank Job 41. 24. Exod. 15. 10. as a stone or lead in those mighty waters Thus God brake the heads of Leviathan in pieces viz. Pharaoh and all his host and gave them to be meat Psal 74. 14. to His people inhabiting the wilderness The meaning whereof is not as some though pious and learned and the Septuagint also do too too grosly interpret it to the wild beasts which devoured the Egyptians carcasses that were cast upon the shore but the meaning is that God overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the red sea and gave them to meat to His people of Israel in their wilderness-condition for their souls to feed on by faith to consider God's signal miraculous preservation of them and deliverance of them out of Egypt and from those mighty Leviathans who would have swallowed them up and destroyed them and so to strengthen their faith in an experimental way that God would still go along with them
Servants and Beasts may rest as well as we The Church of the Jews under the Old Testament had various Sabbaths as of Days Months and Years 1. Their Sabbath of days every seventh day of the Week So also their Sabbaths of days were their other Festivals as the Feast of Passeover Pentecost Tabernacles Expiation Trumpets c. for in all these Feasts they were commanded to rest as well as on the Seventh day Of all these read at large in Levit. 23. and 25. Chapters 2. Their Sabbath of Months every New-Moon 3. Their Sabbath of years every seventh year in which they were not to till the ground Levit. 25. 8. and I may add hereto the Jubilee which was once in seven times seven years or the 49th year The word remember in the Hebrew signifies to call to mind somewhat before or to keep in mind somewhat for after and sometimes it signifies both as it may well here be taken for this ordinance of God of the Sabbath was instituted long before and was to continue for afterward The word Sanctifie or hallow doth signifie these four things 1. To make a thing Holy by putting holiness into it morally 2. To acknowledge a thing to be Holy 3. To appoint a thing to Holy and Religious uses 4. To use things to those good uses whereto they were appointed This day hath no more Holiness in it than any other that for it self it might be accounted more Holy than other only God hath appointed it to holy uses and would have us to use it thereunto The reasons why God commands us to keep holy this day 1. God gives us six days to labour in and hath reserved but one in seven for Himself therefore good reason is it we should obey 2. God requireth no more than that which Himself hath done therefore ought men to do so 3. God hath blessed and hallowed this day to this end Therefore it must be kept We must spend our strength in sanctifying of the Sabbath in the duties of of the day they that worship God to purpose spend their bodies and their strength in nothing so much as in the worship of God stirring up themselves to take hold of God Jacob wrestled Isai 64. 7. Gen. 32. 24. with God in Prayer now wrestling is a hard exercise therein men put forth all their strength It will be a sad thing another day when this shall be charged upon very many that they have spent their strength upon sin and upon their lusts but never put forth any strength in Holy Duties or Sabbath-Performances there they are as cold and dead as may be It is a sign of the breath of life when it is warm but artificial breath is cold As the breath that comes out of a living body is warm but the breath out of a pair bellows is cold So the breath of many people in Prayer is discovered to be but artificial breath it is so cold but if there were spiritual life than it would be warm There must be strength and heat of affection So I might instance in hearing the Word we must hear as for our lives Isai 55. 3. so hear that our Souls may live c. But you will say the Sabbath is a time of rest I confess it is a time of rest from outward labours but it is a time of spending strength in a spiritual way They that will worship God aright upon the Sabbath will find it a spending of a great deal of strength And blessed is that strength that is spent in the Worship of God EXERCITATION THE ELEVENTH Luk. 21. 19. In your patience possess ye your Souls VVE are not able to enjoy our selves or any of the blessings which God affords us without patience While we are here in this life let us expect troubles and afflictions and discomforts even from our nearest relations crosses and losses It is our blessed Saviours Legacy in the world ye Joh. 16. 33. shall have tribulation and through many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdom of heaven Expect them therefore Acts 14. 22 and prepare for them then when they come they will wound us the less Praevisa minus feriunt tâ—lâ— Let us enjoy this present life and the comforts thereof so long as it shall please God to afford them unto us exercising our selves in continual patience and by it enduring all Behold we count them Jam. 5. 11. happy which endure we have heard of the patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord that the Lord is very pittiful and of tender mercy Patience is a Christian vertue whereby Definition by faith resting on the Providence Power and Goodness of God we sweetly and quietly submit our selves to His hand in all afflictions which by Him are sent upon us The afflictions of the Godly are 1. For Correction 2. For Tryal 1. For Correction if we were without chastisement whereof all God's Heb. 12. 8. 10 11. Children are partakers then were we bastards and not sons He chastifeth us for our profit and He seeth it is needful for us for a season if need be we 1 Pet. 1. 6. are in heaviness through manifold temptations So that at length we may say it is good for us and we could not have been without it Though at present no Psal 119. 71. affliction is joyous but grievous yet afterward it yieldeth the quiet fruit of righteousness to them that are exercised thereby This is all the fruit to take Isai 27. 9. away their sin 2. The afflictions of the Godly as they are for correction so also for tryal to try our faith and other Graces if we will quietly submit unto God and humble our selves under His mighty 1 Pet. 5. 6. hand to be dumb with silence and not open our mouths that is in a fretting and repining way because Psal 39. 8. Micah 6. 9. God hath done it To hear the rod and who hath appointed it For the rod of God hath a voice with it and the man of wisdom will see it and hear it and endeavour to understand the meaning of it as well as to feel the smart of it Affliction ariseth not out of the dust neither Job 5. 6. doth trouble spring out of the ground Say therefore with the Church I will Micah 7. 9. bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against Him when He hath truly tryed me He will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold His righteousness Let us not therefore like a dog snarl at the stone but look to the hand that flung it A sparrow shall not fall to the ground without the will of our Father and we are of more value than many sparrows This will Mat. 10. 29. help us in our patience to possess our souls because God hath done it and so acknowledge it is His hand and that the Lord hath done it Psal 109. 27. Let us examine and